counter

counter
coun|ter1 S3 [ˈkauntə US -ər] n
[Sense: 1-5; Date: 1300-1400; : Old French; Origin: comptour, from Medieval Latin computatorium 'counting place', from Latin computare; COMPUTE]
[Sense: 6-7; Date: 1300-1400; : Old French; Origin: conteor, from conter; COUNT1]
[Sense: 8; Date: 1600-1700; : French; Origin: contre, from contre 'against']
1.) the place where you pay or are served in a shop, bank, restaurant etc
▪ He wondered if the girl behind the counter recognised him.
2.) AmE a long flat surface on top of a piece of furniture, especially in a kitchen
British Equivalent: worktop
3.) over the counter
drugs, medicines etc that are bought over the counter are ones that you can buy in a shop without a ↑prescription from a doctor
4.) under the counter
if you buy something under the counter, you buy it secretly and usually illegally
▪ It's risky, but you can get alcohol under the counter.
5.) a small object that you use in some games that are played on a board
6.) a piece of electrical equipment that counts something
▪ Set the video counter to zero before you press play.
7.) a computer program that counts the number of people that have visited a website
8.) an action that tries to prevent something bad from happening, or an argument that is used to prove that something is wrong
counter to
▪ The road blocks were a counter to terrorist attacks in that area.
counter 2
counter2 v
[Date: 1300-1400; : Old French; Origin: contre; COUNTER3]
1.) [I and T]
to say something in order to try to prove that what someone said was not true or as a reply to something
▪ 'I could ask the same thing of you,' she countered.
counter an argument/an allegation/a criticism etc
▪ He was determined to counter the bribery allegations.
2.) [T]
to do something in order to prevent something bad from happening or to reduce its bad effects
▪ There are steps you can take to counter the effects of stress.
counter 3
counter3 adj, adv
[Date: 1300-1400; : Old French; Origin: contre, from Latin contra; CONTRA-]
be/run/go counter to sth
to be the opposite of something
▪ Some actions by the authorities ran counter to the president's call for leniency.

Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.

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Synonyms:
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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Counter — Coun ter, a. Contrary; opposite; contrasted; opposed; adverse; antagonistic; as, a counter current; a counter revolution; a counter poison; a counter agent; counter fugue. Innumerable facts attesting the counter principle. I. Taylor. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • counter — coun‧ter [ˈkaʊntə ǁ ər] noun [countable] 1. COMMERCE the place where you are served in a shop, bank etc: • Please pay at the checkout counter. ˈtrade ˌcounter COMMERCE a part of a shop, factory, or website where a business can buy goods for less… …   Financial and business terms

  • counter — Ⅰ. counter [1] ► NOUN 1) a long flat topped fitment over which goods are sold or served or across which business is conducted with customers. 2) a small disc used in board games for keeping the score or as a place marker. 3) a token representing… …   English terms dictionary

  • counter — counter1 [kount′ər] n. [ME countour: in senses 1 & 2 < OFr conteor < L computator < computare; in senses 3, 4, 5 < OFr contouer, counting room, table of a bank < ML computatorium < L computare,COMPUTE] 1. a) a person or thing… …   English World dictionary

  • Counter — Coun ter, adv. [F. contre, fr. L. contra against. Cf. {Contra }.] 1. Contrary; in opposition; in an opposite direction; contrariwise; used chiefly with run or go. [1913 Webster] Running counter to all the rules of virtue. Locks. [1913 Webster] 2 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • counter- — coun·ter / kau̇n tər/ prefix 1 a: contrary: opposite counter letter b: opposing: retaliatory counter action 2: complementary: corresponding …   Law dictionary

  • Counter- — Coun ter (koun t[ e]r ). Note: [See {Counter}, adv. ] A prefix meaning contrary, opposite, in opposition; as, counteract, counterbalance, countercheck. See {Counter}, adv. & a. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Counter — Count er (koun t[ e]r), n. [OE. countere, countour, a counter (in sense 1), OF. contere, conteor, fr. conter to count. See {Count}, v. t. ] 1. One who counts, or reckons up; a calculator; a reckoner. [1913 Webster] 2. A piece of metal, ivory,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Counter — Coun ter, n. [See {Counter}, adv., {Contra}.] 1. (Naut.) The after part of a vessel s body, from the water line to the stern, below and somewhat forward of the stern proper. [1913 Webster] 2. (Mus.) Same as {Contra}. Formerly used to designate… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • counter — [adj] opposite, opposing adverse, against, antagonistic, anti, antipodal, antipodean, antithetical, conflicting, contradictory, contrary, contrasting, converse, diametric, hindering, impeding, obstructive, obverse, opposed, polar, reverse;… …   New thesaurus

  • Counter — Coun ter, n. [OE. countour, OF. contouer, comptouer, F. comptoir, LL. computatorium, prop., a computing place, place of accounts, fr. L. computare. See {Count}, v. t.] A table or board on which money is counted and over which business is… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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