counter-

ˈcounter-
  prefix:—ME. and AF. countre-, a. F. contre- (= Pr. It. contra-):—L. contrā adv. and prefix (see contra-) against, in return. The form in which the Lat. prefix has come down through Fr. into Eng. Used in words actually adopted from earlier F., as counterbalance, counterchange, counterfeit, countermand, countermarch, countermark, countermure, counterpoise, counterseal, countersign, etc., and their derivatives; also in adaptations of later F. or Italian words in contre-, contra-; and in many words formed after them in English. Counter has thus become a living element of the language, capable of entering into new combinations even with words of Teutonic origin. It may be prefixed, when required, to almost any substantive expressing action, as motion, counter-motion, current, counter-current, or even to any word in which action or incidence is imputed, as measure, counter-measure, poison, counter-poison. Hence it is often viewed as an independent element, written separately, and practically treated as an adjective: see counter a.
  In those compounds which we have taken from French or Italian, the consolidation of the word is usually greater than in those formed in English, and they are regularly written as single words, as counterbalance, counterfeit, countermand, countermarch, though sometimes with the hyphen. The stress is normally, in verbs and their derivatives, on the root, in nouns and their derivatives, on the prefix: cf. to underˈgo, ˈundertone. But there are exceptions, esp. where the noun stress is taken by a verb of the same form, as in to ˈcounterfeit. In words formed in English the two elements are in looser union, both accentually and in writing. In verbs the rhetorical or antithetical stress on the prefix may be equal to, or even for the nonce stronger than, that normally on the root, as in to plan and ˈcounter-ˈplan (ˈcounter-ˌplan), and the two parts are properly hyphened. In nouns, when the counter- word is contrasted explicitly or implicitly with the simple word (as in 3, 4, 5), the predominant stress of the prefix is strongly marked, as in ˈcounter-cheer, ˈcounter-aˌnnouncement. These are properly written with the hyphen (now rarely as a single word, but occasionally in two separate words). When such a contrast is not distinctly present (as in 6, 9), the predominance of the prefix is less marked, and the root-element may receive an equal or greater stress; in such case there is a growing tendency to write the prefix as a separate qualifying word, and in fact to treat it as an adjective. Thus counter-side, counter-truth, become counter side, counter truth: see counter a.
  All permanent compounds in counter-, with some of the more important of the looser combinations, are given in their alphabetical order; of the casual combinations (many of them nonce-words) of obvious meaning, examples here follow.
  I. 1. a. verbs, as counteract, counter-make, counter-say, counterweigh, counter-work, with their derivatives: which see in their alphabetic places. Also many nonce-words, either contextual, or framed as literal equivalents of French or Italian verbs in contre-, contra-, expressing the doing of a thing or performance of an action in the opposite direction or sense, with a contrary effect, or in opposition, retort, or response to the action expressed by the simple verb; sometimes with the notion of rivalling or outdoing, checking or frustrating that action; sometimes merely in reciprocation. Such verbs were formerly more frequently formed and used than now. Examples: counter-address, counter-advise, counter-affirm, counter-ambush, counter-avouch, counter-beat, counter-bid, counter-bore, counter-cross, counter-dance, counter-dig, counter-fix, counter-gird, counter-judge, counter-lock, counter-meet, counter-petition, counter-plan, counter-please, counter-post, counter-pray, counter-preach, counter-prick, counter-refer, counter-ruin, counter-shine, counter-state, counter-swear, counter-thwart, counter-traverse, counter-tug, counter-vote. A rare sense in English is that of ‘across, cross-’, as in counter-dash, counter-strike; counter-bar, -hatch. (These are hyphened, but were formerly often written entire. The main stress is on the verb.)

1687 R. L'Estrange Answ. Diss. 22 It would not do Amiss, if the Dissenter should *Counter-Advise his Remembrancer upon Two or Three of these Last Points.

1611 Cotgr., Contrefermé, *counter-affirmed, counter-auouched, the contrarie whereof is affirmed, or auouched.

1681 Moores Baffled 24 On March 27, 1664, he *counter-ambusht a strong Party of Horse.

1611 Florio, Contrabattuta, a *counter⁓beating.

1598 Ibid., Contradiuieto, a countermand, or *counterbidding.

1611 Ibid., Contraforare, to *counter⁓bore.

1611 Cotgr., Contretraversant, *counter-crossing, counter-trauersing.

1849 Carlyle Dante's Inf. vii. 72 As does the surge, there above Charybdis, that breaks itself against the surge wherewith it meets; So have the people here to *counter-dance.

1611 Cotgr., Contr'elider, to counterhit, counterstrik, *counterdash, countersquize; to breake a stroke, or dash, etc., with a stroake, or dash, etc.

1649 Davenant Love & Hon. Wks. (1673) 250, I fear some inlet has been *counter-digg'd Into the Cave.

1596 R. L[inche] Diella (1877) 83 Speechlesse they are, eye *counterfixt on eye.

1611 Cotgr., Contrepicquer, to returne gird for gird; to giue a nip for a nip. Contrepicqué, *countergirded, counterpricked, counternipped.

1643 Herle Answ. Ferne 20 A *counterjudging, and so unjudging judge.

Ibid. 31 A possibly divided and *counterlocking power of deniall.

a 1689 Reresby Mem. 102 (T.), The gentlemen..of Yorkshire, who had *counter⁓petitioned, and declared their abhorrence of the..petition for a meeting of parliament.

1883 T. M. Healy in Pall Mall G. 28 Dec. 2/1 Irishmen..regard their representatives as useful to *counterplan against the devices of the Government.

1611 Florio, Contrapiacere, to *counterplease.

1654 Gayton Pleas. Notes iii. ix. 127 But Sancho does runne *Counter-posting back.

1859 Dickens T. Two Cities ii. i, Instead of being *counterprayed and countermined.

1623 Lisle ælfric on O. & N. Test. Pref. 11 We heare daily men of divers opinions (yet all as called thereto) *counterpreaching each other.

a 1734 North Lives (1808) I. 102 (D.) If either be false and perfidious, the other will be so also; and they *counter-refer to each other. 1653 Gauden Hierasp. 429 They fortifie against oblivion..and counter-ruine the underminings of time.

1647 Crashaw Poems 1 Stars thou sow'st, whose harvest dares Promise the earth to *countershine Whatever makes Heaven's forehead fine.

1661 R. L'Estrange Interest Mistaken 13 It seems to me of high Concern, to *Counter-State that Declaration.

1611 Florio, Contra-colpire, to *counter-strike.

a 1864 Landor Wks. (1868) II. 202 You have sworn many things..some of which were very soon *countersworn.

1567 Turberv. Ovid's Epist. 77 b, Beholde the winds, And *counterthwarting blasts.

1872 Baker Nile Tribut. ii. 32 After much tugging and *counter-tugging.

1641 Ld. Digby Sp. in Rushw. Hist. Coll. iii. (1692) I. 35 How the Lords *Counter-voted the precedency of our Grievances. 1681–6 J. Scott Chr. Life I. iii. (T.), The law in our minds being countervoted by the law in our members.

  b. From corresponding substantives, as counter-gabion, counter-garrison, counter-query, counter-trench; countermine, -mure, etc.

1611 Florio, Contragabbionare, to *countergabbion.

1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. lxii. 34 a, All these flemmynges lay in y⊇ vale of Cassell, in tentes and pauylions, to *counter⁓garison y⊇ french garison.

1653 Apol. for Goodwin 3 *Counter-querying and quarrelling himselfe in subscribing them.

1611 Cotgr., Contretrancher, to *counter-trench, or fortifie against an enemie entrenched.

  II. ns. (and adjs.)
  2. With sense ‘(actor or action) against or in opposition’; as in counter-exercise, counter-latration (barking against), counter-player, counter-volition, counter-willing, counter-working. (Stress on the root-word.)

1744 Warburton Wks. (1811) XI. 393 Dexterity, in the *counter-exercise of his arms.

1865 Carlyle Fredk. Gt. VII. xviii. i. 97 Porcine squealing, answered always by *counter-latration.

1666 Spurstowe Spir. Chym. (1668) 141 Have we not twins in our Womb, our *Counter-lustings and our *Counter-willings?

1611 Cotgr., Contrejoueur, a *counter-player; an aduersarie, or opponent, in play.

a 1859 De Quincey War Wks. IV. 265 So weak and so flexible to any stern *countervolition.

  3. a. Done, directed, or acting against, in opposition to, as a rejoinder or reply to another thing of the same kind already made or in existence; as in counter-accusation, counter-address, counter-affirmation, counter-agitation, counter-alliance, counter-announcement, counter-answer, counter-appeal, counter-art, counter-association, counter-attack, counter-attestation, counter-averment, counter-avouchment, counter-bid, counter-bidding, counter-challenge, counter-cheer, counter-command, counter-competition, counter-complaint, counter-condemnation, counter-coup, counter-cry, counter-decision, counter-declaration, counter-decree, counter-demand, counter-demonstration, counter-deputation, counter-dogmatism, counter-draught, counter-effort, counter-energy, counter-enthusiasm, counter-exaggeration, counter-excitement, counter-excommunication, counter-explanation, counter-expostulation, counter-fallacy, counter-gabble, counter-gift, counter-guerrilla, counter-imagination, counter-insult, counter-insurgency, counter-interpretation, counter-intrigue, counter-invective, counter-law, counter-legislation, counter-life, counter-machination, counter-manifesto, counter-measure, counter-message, counter-mission, counter-narrative, counter-noise, counter-notice, counter-objection, counter-organization, counter-paradox, counter-petition, counter-play, counter-practice, counter-project, counter-pronunciamento, counter-propaganda, counter-proposal, counter-proposition, counter-protection, counter-quip, counter-raising, counter-shout, counter-siege, counter-sleight, counter-smile, counter-snarl, counter-statement, counter-statute, counter-stratagem, counter-suggestion, counter-sympathy, counter-synod, counter-terror, counter-thought, counter-threat, counter-thrust, counter-treason, counter-trespass, counter-vaunt, counter-vindication, counter-volley, counter-wager. (The stress is on the prefix; in long words there is a secondary stress on the accented syllable of the root-word.)

1917 How War came to America (U.S. Committee on Public Information) 11 Quibbles, misrepresentations, and *counter accusations against their enemies abroad. 1949 Koestler Promise & Fulf. ii. v. 285 Diplomatic notes with accusations and counter-accusations that read like the Fish⁓wives' Morning Gazette.

1880 Burton Reign Q. Anne II. 62 In their *counter⁓address, the Commons found consolation in the prospects of the war.

1611 Cotgr., Contreferme, a *counter-affirmation, or *counter-auouchment; an affirmation of that whereof another affirmes the contrarie.

1850 M{supc}Cosh Div. Govt. iv. ii. (1874) 488 The announcement..would ever be met by a *counter announcement.

1581 J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 384 Touching the *counteraunswere agaynst the sayd Apology. 1611 Florio, Contrarisposta, a counter answere.

1639 Fuller Holy War i. xvi. (1647) 24 Art promising her self the victorie, and suddenly meeting *counter-art, which mastered her.

1748 Hartley Observ. Man i. iv. 460 Was it not restrained by *Counter-Associations.

1855 I. Taylor Restor. Belief (1856) 224 To dispute with him his mission by help of *counter-attestations.

1880 Muirhead Gaius iv. §16 note, That the respondent..made a *counter averment of ownership.

1960 Farmer & Stockbreeder 26 Jan. 4/1 While price concessions for English malting barley have had to be conceded, farmers and merchants are becoming more obstinate to *counterbids, in view of the firmer trend which is taking place in imported descriptions. 1981 Times 3 June 22/6 Rumours persisting for a counterbid for Charles Hill of Bristol saw the shares up 2p to 126p.

1847 De Quincey Secret Soc. Wks. VII. 248 note, Not knowing the rate of the hostile biddings [they]..had no guide to regulate their own *counterbiddings.

1909 M. B. Saunders Litany Lane i. iii. 27 His own [eyes] flung back a steely *counter-challenge.

1847 Grote Greece ii. lii. (1862) IV. 437 Cheer and *counter-cheer. a 1893 Mod. Newspr., Parl. Rep., The result was received with cheers from the ministerial benches, quickly followed by countercheers from the Opposition at the smallness of the majority.

1623 Rowlandson God's Bless. 5 Not even the terrors and *countercommands of the greatest should so interrupt us.

1848 Mill Pol. Econ. ii. xii. §1 A *counter⁓competition would commence on the side of capitalists.

1657 S. W. Schism Dispach't 9, I have reason to make a *counter-complaint of the Dr. 1792 T. Jefferson Writ. (1830) IV. 462, I would not give in my report till I should see Hammond's counter-complaint.

1865 Trollope Belton Est. xviii, She should encounter the condemnation of Captain Aylmer..by *counter-condemnation of him and his mother.

1963 Time 30 Aug. 20/2 Roman Catholic Diem..opened up the possibilities of coups, *counter-coups, and even civil war.

1879 G. Meredith Egoist III. vi. 107 Cries and *counter⁓cries ring out.

1825 T. Jefferson Autobiog. Wks. 1859 I. 77 A declaration, and *counter-declaration, were cooked up at Versailles.

a 1600 Hooker E.P. vii. xi. §9 Their question he repelled with a *counter-demand.

1868 G. Duff Pol. Surv. 63 Russia..to make a *counter demonstration to us..launched..a great expedition against Khiva.

1874 W. Wallace Hegel's Logic 13 Dogmatism..against which there would be an equal right of *counter-dogmatism.

1611 Cotgr., Contr'effort, a *counter effort; or, effort vsed against force.

1849 Grote Greece ii. lxii. (1862) V. 389 If liberty be energetically assailed, the *counter-energy necessary for its defence may be found wanting.

1871 Morley Voltaire (1886) 67 That..enthusiasm which can only make sure of itself by disparaging the object of a *counter-enthusiasm.

1867 Mill Inaug. Addr. 24 The value of Mathematics..has even been insisted on so exclusively as to provoke a *counter-exaggeration.

1816 Coleridge Statesm. Man. (1817) 359 A sort of sanative *counter-excitement.

1855 Milman Lat. Chr. (1864) II. 340 Excommunication and *counter-excommunication, the validity of which might be questioned by either party.

1806–7 J. Beresford Miseries Hum. Life (1826) vi. xxviii, You cannot hear..one guide for the continual *counter-gabble of the other.

1822–56 De Quincey Confess. (1862) 107 In the *counter-gift of the proud post-office was nothing.

1901 Westm. Gaz. 27 Nov. 2/2 We ought to meet the Boer guerilla by a *counter-guerilla. 1962 Economist 12 May 551/1 A determined counterguerrilla offensive succeeded. Their comments on counterguerrilla are of special topicality. 1964 Ann. Reg. 1963 163 The military measures..comprised.. heavy U.S. engagement in counter-guerrilla warfare in South Vietnam throughout the period.

1864 Kingsley Rom. & Teut. vii. (1875) 165 He answered by some *counter-insult.

1962 Times 8 May 13/7 Psychological warfare and *counter-insurgency techniques cannot be the concern of a few hastily trained officers.

1875 Stubbs Const. Hist. III. xviii. 202 Warwick..began a *counter-intrigue.

1611 Cotgr., Contr'-invective, a *counter-inuectiue; an answer to an inuectiue.

1862 Ellicott Dest. Creature ii. 26 A mysterious and pervasive *counter-law.

1882–3 Schaff Encycl. Relig. Knowl. I. 762 To secure *counter-legislation.

1836 Thirlwall Greece III. xvii. 39 Through the *counter-machinations of Sparta.

1923 Collingwood Roman Britain ii. 37 The Saxon raids increased, but *counter-measures were devised.

1865 Merivale Rom. Emp. VIII. lxv. 176 In the *counter-narrative of the Jews even the name of Christian is contemptuously disregarded.

1651 Jer. Taylor Serm. for Year i. xiii. 169 To drown the noises of Sinai..with a *counternoise of revelling.

1885 Law Rep. 30 Ch. D. 571 The Plaintiff accepted the notice and proceeded to give certain *counter-notices under it.

1879 Farrar St. Paul I. 266 The objections..could be met by *counter⁓objections of serious importance.

1887 J. F. Hogan Irish in Australia ix. (1888) 175 [They]..formed themselves into a *counter-organisation..and agitated for the perpetuation of the system.

a 1674 Clarendon Hist. Reb. (J.), Others of an opposite party were appointed to set a *counter-petition on foot.

1878 Browning La Saisiaz 15 What might be the Marshal's next move, what Gambetta's *counter-play.

a 1745 Swift (J.), The obligation..was struck out of the *counterproject by the Dutch. 1848 Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. 462 Wildman then brought forward a counterproject.

1890 G. Saintsbury in New Rev. Feb. 137 The recent *counter-pronunciamento at Rio.

1901 G. B. Shaw Cashel Byron's Prof. p. xiv, The vast propaganda of pugnacity in modern fiction..must be met, not by shocked silence, but by *counter-propaganda. 1950 S. Potter Our Lang. 114 Propaganda and trustworthy news are dissociated in our minds. We even hear of propaganda and counter-propaganda!

1885 Manch. Exam. 10 Jan. 4/7 The French *counter-proposals..will have an exclusively financial character.

1865 Grote Plato Pref. (1875) 7/2 note, Proposition and *counter-proposition, the thesis which one impugns, as well as that which one sustains. 1867 A. Barry Sir C. Barry vi. 217 Mr. White addressed a counter-proposition to the Treasury.

1817 Ld. Castlereagh in Parl. Deb. 1849 We could not adopt such liberal principles..whilst the system of protection and *counter-protection was maintained in other countries.

1641 Milton Animadv. Wks. 1738 I. 99 This is a more Edomitish conceit than the former, and must be silenced with a *counter-quip of the same Country.

1611 Florio, Contralzata, a *counter raising.

1857 Hughes Tom Brown ii. iii, With their shouts and *counter-shouts of encouragement.

1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. xi. v. §36 Seauen weekes thus spent, in this *counter siege of the City and Castle.

1611 Cotgr., Contreruse, a *counter-sleight; a wile for a wile.

1621 Burton Anat. Mel. ii. iii. vii, If he..give but a *countersnarl, there's not a dog dares meddle with him.

1855 Motley Dutch Rep. v. iv. (1866) 723 It was soon..followed by a *counter-statement..containing his account of the same matters.

1643 Milton Divorce ii. iii. (1851) 68 By his own Antinomie, or *counter-statute.

1688 H. Wharton Enthus. Ch. Rome 98 The stratagems and *counter-stratagems of the Devil and the Saints.

1836–7 Sir W. Hamilton Metaph. (1877) I. v. 88 It requires..a long and powerful *counter-sympathy in a nation to untwine the ties of custom.

a 1677 Barrow Pope's Suprem. Wks. 1859 VIII. 60 These Synods..reprobated by Popes in *Counter-Synods.

1879 Q. Rev. Apr. 402 Some *counter-terror evidently neutralised a terror so potent.

1858 J. Martineau Stud. Chr. 281 The interchange..of thought and *counter⁓thought.

1880 Burton Reign Q. Anne III. xiv. 19 The policy..was met by a *counter-threat.

1861 A. Beresford-Hope Eng. Cathedr. 19th C. vi. §1. 226 The lighter kinds of stone..may be employed in groining without requiring an excessive *counterthrust.

1611 Cotgr., Contretrahison, a *counter⁓treason; treason against treason.

1884 H. Spencer in Contemp. Rev. July 40 Among primitive peoples, trespasses are followed by *counter-trespasses.

1851 Mayne Reid Scalp Hunt. xliv, Only..a *counter-vaunt, the retaliation of a pang.

1880 Muirhead Gaius i. §134 In the event of the father asserting no *counter-vindication.

1876 G. Meredith Beauch. Career (1889) 60 Volleys and *countervolleys of fishy Venetian.

1875 Poste Gaius iv. §167 He is ordered to pay the sums of the wager and *counterwager in which he was promisor.

  b. Also with agent-nouns, as counter-defender, counter-orator, counter-witness; counter-appellant, -claimant.

1609 Bp. W. Barlow Answ. Nameless Catholic 229 To all these this *Contre-defender scarse spends three Sections.

1797 E. M. Lomax Philanthrope 171 No. 22 ‘Be obscure!’ and set the *counter-orator..at utter defiance.

1660 N. Ingelo Bentiv. & Urania ii. Pref., Cicero, whom I have opposed to him as a *counter-witness.

  4. Acting in reversal of a former action; as in counter-conquest, counter-reaction, counter-reform, counter-restoration, counter-sale; Counter-reformation, -revolution.

1626 T. Ailesbury Passion Serm. 19 Hee falls into an agony, in a *counterconquest of affection.

1859 Mill in Edin. Rev. CX. 288 The great European philosophical reaction was to have its *counter-reaction. 1965 H. Kahn On Escalation 278 A threat is a specific statement as to what the counterreaction will be.

1871 Freeman Hist. Ess. Ser. i. ii. 47 Another stands alone..in passing a *counter-reform bill.

1875 Stubbs Const. Hist. III. xviii. 200 The newly founded dynasty might be strengthened against the risks of a *counter-restoration.

1616 Budden tr. Aerodius' Disc. Parents Hon. 2 So many *countersales, which made them bond again.

  5. Done or acting in reciprocation of or return for another thing of the same kind; reciprocal; as in counter-acquittance, counter-assurance, counter-engagement, counter-equivalent, counter-gage, counter-love, counter-obligation, counter-offer, counter-service, counter-token.

1611 Cotgr., Contrequittence, a *counter-acquittance.

1651 Hobbes Leviath. i. xvi. 81 The Covenant..is not valid, without his *Counter-assurance.

1880 Burton Reign Q. Anne I. i. 48 The *counter-equivalent of the oaths of allegiance taken by the subject.

1611 Cotgr., Contregage, a *counter-gage, or counter-pawne.

1635 Quarles Embl. v. viii. (1718) 277 Can..thy affection last without the fuel Of *counter-love.

1884 Standard 4 Mar. 5/4 Acts of benevolence on the part of the Sultan, without any *counter⁓obligation towards him.

1788 T. Jefferson Wks. (1859) II. 483 Denmark is asking the *counter-offer of mediation from this court.

1607 Sylvester ii. iv. Trophies 716 One cannot vse th' ayde of the Powrs below Without some Pact of *Counter-services.

1611 Florio, Contrasegno, a *counter token, or signe. 1632 J. Hayward tr. Biondi's Eromena 22 Received of his master..the counter-token for getting againe the horse.

  6. Opposite locally: a. Having an opposite direction, back-; in nouns of action, as counter-flight, counter-flow, counter-migration, counter-pull, counter-radiation, counter-retreat, counter-sway, counter-vibration; also in other nouns, as counter-side, counter-stream, counter-tack, counter-wave, counter-wind, counter-sea, -slope, -tide, in which counter is also written separately as an adj.

c 1611 Chapman Iliad vii. 190 But he must make no *counterflight.

1870 R. M. Ferguson Electr. 55 Faraday's experiment shews that no such *counterflow takes place.

1871 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) IV. xviii. 172 Migrations and *Counter-migrations which have gone on in various ages between Armorica and West Wales.

1857 Mrs. Carlyle Lett. II. 341 A *counter-pull..in the direction of order.

1851 Herschel Stud. Nat. Phil. ii. vi. 163 Faster than its heat can be restored..by *counter-radiation.

1612 Two Noble Kinsmen i. i, A *counter-reflect 'gainst My brother's heart.

1817 Colebrooke Algebra 295 The product of half the sides and *countersides is the gross area.

1719 De Foe Crusoe i. 220 The Rocks..check'd the Violence of the Stream, and made a kind of *Counter-Stream or Eddy.

1830 Southey Lett. (1856) IV. 178 Such a process of reaction as has made M― take precisely the *counter tack.

1787 Roy in Phil. Trans. LXXVII. 205 A pointed plummet..has a small degree of *counter-vibration to that of the ball.

1874 Tyrwhitt Sketch. Club 201 The water..meets shore, or *counter-wave.

  b. Formed at the opposite side; as in counter-cleft, -fissure, -fracture, q.v.
  7. Across, crossing, making an angle with; as in counter-haft, counter-tree (= counter-bar); counter-bar, -lath, -lode.

1611 Florio, Contramanico, a *counterhaft or handle.

1813 W. Beattie Tales 53 (Jam.) The door was slightly girded tee, Wi an auld tow an' *conter-tree.

  8. a. Forming the opposite member or constituent of anything that has naturally two opposite parts, as counter-balance, -foil, -part, -poise, -stock, -tally, etc.; or constituting a second thing of the same kind standing opposite, parallel to, or side by side with the original, as counter-branch, counter-pillar, counter-earth; often with notions of balancing, checking, sustaining thrust, or of mutual adaptation, correspondence, etc.; as in counter-cipher, -copy, -die, -mark, -seal, -type.

1581 Mulcaster Positions xxxix. (1887) 183 Yong maidens..be *counter-braunches to vs in the kinde of mortall and reasonable creatures.

1717 Berkeley Tour in Italy §14 Pillars of jasper, with *counter-pillars of alabaster.

  b. Like It. contra-, F. contre-, often denoting that which is the counterpart of a thing or person, and hence the duplicate or parallel, the copy or substitute, or that which is the complementary, accessary, or subservient ‘second’ of another, = rear-, sub-; as in counter-base, counter-border, counter-pond, etc.; counter-admiral, -dike, -drain, -walk, -warden [cf. contre-master].

1611 Cotgr., Contrebase, a *counterbase; the lowest part of a Basis, or the part, or peece, whereon it stands.

1712 J. James tr. Le Blond's Gardening 26 Pieces of Parterre..with *Counter-Borders.

1611 Cotgr., Contr'estang, a Poole-damme; a back-poole, or *counter-pond; a..hollow ground, whereinto the water of a Pond, thats to be fished, is let.

  9. Having the contrary tendency, nature, action, or position; running counter (to something else); opposing, opposite, contrary; as in counter-advantage, counter-cause, counter-church, counter-consideration, counter-craft, counter-difficulty, counter-discipline, counter-doctrine, counter-establishment, counter-fact, counter-formula, counter-hypothesis, counter-idea, counter-ideal, counter-interest, counter-magic, counter-motive, counter-necromancy, counter-picture, counter-plan, counter-presumption, counter-principle, counter-process, counter-project, counter-reason, counter-religion, counter-society, counter-technicality, counter-tendency, counter-theory, counter-translation, counter-truth, counter-warmth. (The stress is usually equal, as in adjective + substantive, and the prefix tends to be written separately: see counter a.)

1885 Manch. Exam. 24 Mar. 4/7 No *counter-advantages..would induce the Committee to pass the bill if they thought the bar would be damaged.

1684 T. Burnet Th. Earth I. 203 Unless there be some *counter-causes that hinder this general rule of nature from taking place.

1928 Belloc Convers. with Angel xi. 81 If Calvin had not written his book there would have been no organised *counter-Church in France. 1956 A. Toynbee Hist. Approach Relig. I. iv. 54 Opposing Christianity by staging an artificial pagan counter-church.

1848 Mill Pol. Econ. I. i. viii. 152 There are *counter-considerations which are overlooked. 1905 Daily Chron. 9 June 4/3 Bearing these counter-considerations in mind, let us inquire what are the possible or probable conditions of peace.

1603 Florio Montaigne i. xxv. (1632) 83 Let him borrow this pleasant *counter-craft of Aristippus.

1856 Dove Logic Chr. Faith i. ii. 69 A pious..endeavour to obviate a *counter-difficulty.

1678 Lively Orac. viii. §46. 319 That has set up a *counter-discipline to that of the Gospel.

1865 M. Arnold Ess. Crit. ix. (1875) 388 The *counter-doctrine to the popular doctrine.

1797 Haighton in Phil. Trans. LXXXVII. 170 Contrasting these solitary observations with a numerous train of *counterfacts.

1871 Morley Voltaire (1886) 35 The system to which this was the powerful *counter-formula.

1865 Grote Plato I. ii. 103 The *counter-hypothesis of the discontinuous many.

1882 H. S. Holland Logic & Life (1885) 261, I cannot but single out that one supreme expression of this *counter-ideal.

1710 Norris Chr. Prud. i. 37 He has no *Counter-interest to deny..or Passion to countermand.

1952 Gerth & Martindale tr. Weber's Anc. Judaism iv. xi. 273 The opposition party lay in wait to destroy them..by *counter⁓magic.

1836 Mill in Lond. & Westm. Rev. Oct. 12 That motive..is checked by the two perpetual *counter-motives above adverted to.

a 1713 Shaftesbury Advice to Author (Jod.), This is that..sort of *counternecromancy which instead of ghastliness and horror inspires only what is gentle and humane.

1882 H. S. Holland Logic & Life (1885) 261 There are *counter-pictures given us to that of the leaven.

1788 T. Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 519 The *counterplan which they set on foot.

1867 G. M. Hopkins Let. 31 Dec. (1956) 48, I hope you will weigh these *counter-presumptions. 1897 W. James Will to Believe 318 It is a miserable thing for a question of truth to be confined to mere presumption and counter-presumption.

1878 Morley Diderot I. 5 It was the great *counter-principle to asceticism.

1843 Mill Logic II. iv. iv. 261 A *counter-process of losing truths already possessed, is also constantly going on.

1865 Grote Plato Pref. (1875) 7 Reasoners who..recognise no refutation except from the *counter-reason of others.

1822 T. Jefferson Writ. (1830) IV. 349 Usurpers of the Christian name, teaching a *counter-religion.

1955 ‘C. H. Rolph’ Women of Streets x. 129 One would expect the emergence of such leaders in a *counter-society such as this. 1959 Encounter May 29/2 The society formed by prostitutes and their associates..has a fairly permanent structure and composition; its stability depends on its nature as a counter-society.

1880 Burton Reign Q. Anne II. viii. 12 The common lawyer could have felt respect for *counter-technicalities.

1851 Thackeray Eng. Hum. v. (1858) 214 This *countertranslation, suddenly advertised and so long written.

1879 Farrar St. Paul I. 547 He had demonstrated the errors of his listeners mainly by contrasting them with the *counter⁓truths which it was his mission to announce.

1763 Brit. Mag. IV. 221 Nothing is more likely to recover the mind from this false attraction, than the *counter-warmth of impartial debate.

  10. In prepositional combination with an object (expressed, or implied in an adj.): cf. anti- II, III, contra- 2. a. Against, contrary to, anti-; as counter-sparing; counter-fashion a., against the fashion; counter-natural a., contrary to nature; often with the sense of ‘specific against, antidote to’, as in counter-antidote, counter-pest; counter-bane, etc.
  b. Opposed to the true or genuine, false, counterfeit, pseudo-, anti-; as counter-apostle, counter-Christ, counter-Jesus, counter-Kaiser, counter-prophet, counter-taste, etc.

1611 Cotgr., Contr'antidote, a remedie, or poison against a preseruatiue; a *counterantidote.

1657 S. W. Schism Dispach't 220 Now that his *counter-Apostle meets him in the same city.

1655 Trapp Marrow Gd. Auth. (1868) 830/2 An Anti-christ or *counter-Christ, pretending to be instead of Christ, but fighting against Christ.

1619 W. Sclater Exp. 1 Thess. (1630) 91 Iesuites..haue erected their Head to be a Counter-Christ; so thousands of others, to be *Counter-Iesuses.

1886 Blackie in 19th Cent. Apr. 532 Pillaging the camp of an audacious *Counter-Kaiser.

1686 W. de Britaine Hum. Prud. vi. 29 It will be your Wisdom to carry a *Counterpest or Antidote.

1588 J. Harvey Disc. Probl. conc. Proph. 70 Hath not every vocation..yeelded some such *counter-prophets and penny-fathers.

1611 Florio, Contralesina, a *counter sparing, a lauishe spender, or expence.

a 1763 Shenstone Wks. II. 320 (Jod.) There is a kind of *countertaste..which maintains a sort of rivalship with the true, and may be expressed by the name concetto.

  11. Mutually opposed, against each other, reciprocal: in several of the preceding senses: a. with nouns expressing reciprocal action, as counter-change, reciprocal exchange, counter-struggle, struggle against each other; so counter-conquest, counter-battery, -scuffle, etc.; b. with plurals only, as counter-curses, curses against each other, counter smiles, smiles to each other; so counter-declarations, counter-doctrines, counter-ferments, counter-forces, counter-opponents, counter-principles, counter-theories, etc.

1605 Sylvester Du Bartas ii. iii. i. 484 Where man's deep zeal and God's dear favour strove For *Counter conquest in officious love.

1659 Gauden Tears of Ch. 407 Cruell *counter-curses and angry Anathema's against each other.

1845 H. Rogers Ess. I. iii. 135 To reconcile inconsistencies and harmonise *counter-declarations.

1735–8 Bolingbroke On Parties 7 Force..may support a Rivalship and erect even *Counter-Establishments.

1711 Addison Spect. No. 195 ¶2 Unnatural Motions and *Counterferments..in the Body.

1861 Sat. Rev. XI. 159/1 Take these *counter hypotheses, and see which of the two, etc.

a 1774 Goldsm. tr. Scarron's Com. Romance (1775) II. 71 To think that there would one day be a *counter marriage between us.

1657 S. W. Schism Dispach't 74 We should be mutually *counter-opponents and counter-defendants.

1851 G. S. Faber Many Mansions (1862) 291 The two are clearly *counter-parallels.

1836–7 Sir W. Hamilton Metaph. (1877) I. vi. 101 These two *counter-processes of analysis and synthesis.

1621 Burton Anat. Mel. iii. ii. ii. iii, Those *countersmiles are the dumb shows and prognostics of greater matters.

1709 Tatler No. 43 ¶7 The Tangential and Centripetal Forces, by their *counter-struggle, make the Celestial Bodies describe an exact Ellipsis.

1885 Tennyson Anc. Sage, No ill, no good! such *counter-terms, my son, Are border-races, holding each its own By endless war.

1836–7 Sir W. Hamilton Metaph. xliii. (1870) II. 457 The *counter-theories of Plato and Aristotle.

  12. Music. = contra- 4: see counterpoint; as in counter-base = contra-bass, counter-treble, etc. Cf. counter n.⁷, v.²

1598 Florio, Contralto, a counter treble in musicke. 1611 ― Contrasourano, a counter treble.

  13. Mil. Applied to works erected to act against the works of the enemy; as in counter-breastwork (Bailey folio), counter-building, counter-engine, counter-gabion, counter-mount, counter-sconce, counter-trench; counter-approach, etc.

1614 Raleigh Hist. World ii. 553 The besieged also raised *Counter-buildings.

1641 Evelyn Diary (1871) 33 The workes and especially the *Countercamp are curiously hedg'd with quick.

1678 tr. Gaya's Art of War i. 109 Of *Counter-Engines. To hinder Assaults and Storms.

1611 Florio, Contragabbione, a *countergabbion.

Ibid., Contraforte, a counter fort or *counterskonce.

1602 Daniel Philotas iii. ii, And built her *Counter-mounts upon that side.

1727–51 Chambers Cycl., *Counter-trench, a trench made against the besiegers.

  14. Heraldry. (adjs.) a. Turned in the contrary direction, or (of two figures) in contrary directions, as counter-couchant, counter-courant, counter-embowed, counter-naiant, counter-rampant, counter-reflected, counter-statant (cf. couchant, etc.), counter-passant, -salient, -trippant. b. On the two opposite sides, as counter-indented, counter-nebulé, counter-pendent, counter-raguled or counter-raguly, etc.; counter-embattled, -fleury. c. Having the tinctures reversed, as counter-ermine. d. See quot. 1727, and cf. counter-changed, -coloured, -compony.

1727–51 Chambers Cycl. s.v. Contre-bend, When there are two ordinaries of the same nature opposite to each other, so as colour be opposed to metal, and metal to colour..the coat is said to be contre- or counter-paled, counter-bended, counter-fessed, counter-componed, or counter-barred.

1761 Brit. Mag. II. 532 Two arms *counter embowed, and vested, gules. 1882 Cussans Her. vi. (ed. 3) 95 Its [the Dolphin's] usual position is Embowed ..When moving towards the sinister side, it is said to be Counter-embowed.

1864 Boutell Heraldry Hist. & Pop. xix. (ed. 3) 311 Within a bordure *counterindented or and gu.

1830 Robson Brit. Herald III. Gloss., *Counter-nebulée, borne nebulée on both edges. *Counter-pendant, hanging on each side. *Counter-reflected, turned contrary ways from each other.

1882 Cussans Her. iv. 64 When a Fess, Bend, or Chevron, is bounded on each side by the lines embattled, potent, or *ragulé, it must be blazoned as Embattled-counter-embattled, or Potent-counter-potent, as the case may be.

1864 Boutell Heraldry Hist. & Pop. xxviii. §2 (ed. 3) 437 Two lions *counter-rampant.

Oxford English Dictionary