counter 1
/kown"teuhr/ , n.
1. a table or display case on which goods can be shown, business transacted, etc.
2. (in restaurants, luncheonettes, etc.) a long, narrow table with stools or chairs along one side for the patrons, behind which refreshments or meals are prepared and served.
3. a surface for the preparation of food in a kitchen, esp. on a low cabinet.
4. anything used in keeping account, as a disk of metal or wood, used in some games, as checkers, for marking a player's position or for keeping score.
5. an imitation coin or token.
6. a coin; money.
7. over the counter ,
a. (of the sale of stock) through a broker's office rather than through the stock exchange.
b. (of the sale of merchandise) through a retail store rather than through a wholesaler.
8. under the counter , in a clandestine manner, esp. illegally: books sold under the counter.
[ 1300-50; ME countour comptoir ) computatorium place for computing, equiv. to L computa ( re ) to COMPUTE + -torium -TORY 2 ; cf. COUNT 1 ]
counter 2
/kown"teuhr/ , n.
1. a person who counts.
2. a device for counting revolutions of a wheel, items produced, etc.
3. Cards. See card counter .
4. Computers. a storage register or program variable used to tally how often something of interest occurs.
5. Electronics. scaler (def. 2).
6. Physics. any of various instruments for detecting ionizing radiation and for registering counts. Cf. Geiger counter .
[ 1325-75; ME countour conteor ) computator, equiv. to computa ( re ) to COMPUTE + -tor -TOR ]
counter 3
/kown"teuhr/ , adv.
1. in the wrong way; contrary to the right course; in the reverse or opposite direction.
2. contrary; in opposition (usually prec. by run or go ): to run counter to the rules.
adj.
3. opposite; opposed; contrary.
n.
4. something that is opposite or contrary to something else.
5. a blow delivered in receiving or parrying another blow, as in boxing.
6. a statement or action made to refute, oppose, or nullify another statement or action.
7. Fencing. a circular parry.
8. a piece of leather or other material inserted between the lining and outside leather of a shoe or boot quarter to keep it stiff.
9. Naut. the part of a stern that overhangs and projects aft of the sternpost of a vessel.
10. Also called void . Typesetting. any part of the face of a type that is less than type-high and is therefore not inked.
11. Engin. , Building Trades. a truss member subject to stress only under certain partial loadings of the truss.
12. the part of a horse's breast that lies between the shoulders and under the neck.
v.t.
13. to go counter to; oppose; controvert.
14. to meet or answer (a move, blow, etc.) by another in return.
v.i.
15. to make a counter or opposing move.
16. to give a blow while receiving or parrying one, as in boxing.
[ 1400-50; late ME countre co ( u ) ntre, cuntre, OF contre contra against. See COUNTER- ]
counter 4
/kown"teuhr/ , v.t.
to encounter in opposition or combat.
[ 1250-1300; ME countren, aph. var. of acountren acontrer. See A- 5 , ENCOUNTER ]