n.
Function: verb
Inflected Form: coun · tered ; coun · ter · ing \ ' kau ̇ n-t( ə -)ri ŋ \
Etymology: Middle English countren, from Anglo-French cuntre against, opposite, from Latin contra; akin to Latin com- with, together ― more at CO-
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1 a : to act in opposition to : OPPOSE b : OFFSET , NULLIFY <tried to counter the trend toward depersonalization>
2 : to assert in answer <we counter ed that our warnings had been ignored>
intransitive verb : to meet attacks or arguments with defensive or retaliatory steps