counter 
4. That part of a ship which lies between 
the water-line and the knuckle of the stern. 
The coun ter-tim- 
bers are short tim- 
bers in the stern, 
used to strength- 
en the counter. 
Once again, through 
the darkness, we 
heard the cry under 
our counter, and 
again all was silent 
but the noise of the 
sea and of the storm. 
W. H. Russell, Diary 
[in India, I. 20. '| * 
5. The Stiff lea- Frame of Ship inside of Stem. 
ther forming the * pointers; a, 2, quarter-timbers; 3.3, 
, . f counter-timbers ; 4, counter-timber knee ; 
back part Of a s . main transom. 
shoe or boot sur- 
rounding the heel of the wearer. See cut un- 
der boot. 6. In fencing, a parry in which the 
sword's point makes a complete curve, return- 
ing to its original position. The various counters 
are named with reference to the thrust to be parried, as 
the counter of carte, of tierce, etc. 
7. Same as counter-lode Bass counter. Seeixwss. 
Buhl and counter. See buhl. 
counter 3 (koun'ter), v. [< counter 3 , adv. and n.] 
I. intrans. In boxing, to give a return blow 
while receiving or parrying the blow of an an- 
tagonist. 
His left hand countered provokingly. 
Kingsley, Two Years Ago, xiv. 
II. trans. 1. In boxing, to meet or return by 
a counter-blow: as, to counter a blow. 2. In 
shoemaking, to put a counter upon ; furnish 
with a counter: as, to counter a shoe. 
counter*! (koun'ter), v. [< ME. counturen, coun- 
tren, coutren, encounter; by apheresis for en- 
counter, q. v.] I. trans. To come against ; meet ; 
encounter. 
Gaffray cam faste contring the Geaunt then, 
As moche and as faste as hys courser niyght ren. 
Horn, of Partenay (E. E. T. S.), 1. 3030. 
II. intrans. To come into collision; encoun- 
ter. 
With the erle of Kent thei countred at Medeweie. 
Langtoft, Chron. (ed. Hearne), p. 38. 
counter 4 ! (koun'ter), n. [By apheresis for en- 
counter.] A meeting; an encounter. 
Kindly counter under Mimick shade. 
Spenser, Tears of the Muses, 1. 207. 
counter-. [< ME. counter-, countre-, < OF. contre-, 
< L. contra-: see counter 3 and contra-.] A pre- 
fix of Latin origin, being a doublet of contra-, 
and appearing in words of Middle English ori- 
gin, or in later words formed on the analogy of 
such. Considered merely as an English prefix, 
counter- is to be referred to counter 3 , adv., or 
counter 3 , a. See counter 3 . 
counteract (koun-ter-akt'), v. t. [< counter- + 
act.] To act in opposition to ; hinder, defeat, 
or frustrate by contrary agency. 
"Alas ! " continued my father, "as the greatest evil has 
befall'ii him, I must counteract and undo it with the 
greatest good." Sterne, Tristram Shandy, iv. 8. 
What this country longs for is personalities, grand per- 
sons, to counteract its materialities. 
Emerson, Misc., p. 417. 
= Syn. To thwart, check, contravene, cross, neutralize. 
COUnteractant (koun-ter-ak'tant), n. [< coun- 
teract + -an ft.] A counter-agent ; that which 
counteracts. 
He is certainly the sort of a bard and counteractant 
most needed for our materialistic, self-assertive, money- 
worshipping Anglo-Saxon races. 
Walt Whitman, in Essays from The Critic, p. 42. 
counteraction (koun-ter-ak'shon), n. [< coun- 
teract + -ion.] Action in opposition; hin- 
drance ; resistance. 
A power capable of resisting and conquering the coun- 
teraction of an animal nature. Sir W. Hamilton. 
counteractive (koun-ter-ak'tiv), a. and n. [< 
counteract + -4ve.] I. a. Tending to counter- 
act or oppose. 
II. n. One who or that which counteracts. 
counteractively (koun-ter-ak'tiv-li), adv. By 
counteraction. 
counter-agent (koun'ter-a-jent), n. Anything 
which counteracts, or acts 'in opposition ; an 
opposing agent. 
The unexpected development of genius has no such 
counter-agent to the admiration which it naturally ex- 
cites. Brougham. 
counter-appeal (koun'ter-a-pel"), n. In law, 
an appealin opposition to 'or in counteraction 
of an appeal taken by an adversary. 
counter-appellant (koun"ter-a-perant), n. 
In law, one who takes a counter-appeal; one 
1302 
against whom an appeal has been taken by an 
adversary, and who in turn takes an appeal 
against the adversary. 
Of the counter-appellants of 1397, Nottingham and Wilt- 
shire were dead ; the rest were waitinpr with anxious hearts 
to know whether Henry would sacrifice or save them. 
Stubbs, Const. Hist., 303. 
counter-approach (koun'ter-a-proch"), n. In 
fort., a work consisting of lines and trenches 
pushed forward from their most advanced 
works by the besieged in order to attack the 
works of the besiegers or to hinder their ap- 
proaches Line of counter-approach, a trench 
which the besieged make from their covered way to the 
right and left of the attacks in order to scour the enemy's 
works. 
counter-arch (koun'ter-arch), n. In fort., an 
arch connecting the tops of the counterforts. 
Wilhelm, Mil. Diet. 
COUnter-attired (koun*ter-a-tird'), a. In her., 
having horns in two opposite directions: said 
of an animal having double horns, used as a 
bearing. 
counter-attraction (koun'ter-a-trak ; 'shon), n. 
Opposite attraction ; an attraction opposite and 
equal, according to the law of action and reac- 
tion ; attraction of an opposite kind or in an 
opposite direction. 
counter-attractive (koun*ter-a-trak'tiv), a. 
Attracting in an opposite direction or by op- 
posite means. 
counterbalance (koun-ter-bal'ans), v. t. ; pret. 
and pp. counterbalanced, ppr. counterbalancing. 
[Formerly also counterballance, < F. contre-ba- 
lancer = Sp. contrabalanzear = Pg. contrabalan- 
car = It. contrabbilanciare : see counter- and 
balance, v.] To weigh against with an equal 
weight ; act against with equal power or effect ; 
countervail ; serve as a counterpoise to ; offset ; 
make up for. 
There was so much air drawn out of the vessel, that the 
remaining air was not able to counterbalance the mercu- 
rial cylinder. Boyle. 
The study of mind is necessary to counterbalance and 
correct the influence of the study of nature. 
Sir W. Hamilton. 
Isabella, whose dignity and commanding character might 
counterbalance the disadvantages arising from the unsuit- 
ableness of her sex. Prescott, Ferd. and Isa., i. 8. 
counterbalance (koun'ter-bal-ans), n. [For- 
merly also counterballance, < F. con tre-balance : 
see the verb.] 1. Equal weight, power, or in- 
fluence acting in opposition to anything. 
Money is the counter-balance to all ... things pur- 
chasable. Locke. 
2. In mech., a weight used to balance the vi- 
brating parts of machinery upon their axis, so 
as to cause them to turn freely and to require 
little power to set them in motion ; also, a 
weight by which a lever acted upon by an in- 
termitting force is returned to its position, as 
in the case of the beam of a single-acting steam- 
engine; a counterpoise. 
counter-battery (koun'ter-bat-er-i), n. Milit., 
a battery raised so as to play against another. 
The interior crest of the parapet is made nearly 
parallel with the interior crest of the parapet 
to be attacked. 
Wee made a counterbattery against our enemies. 
Hakluyt's Voyages, II. 123. 
counter-battled (koun-ter-bat'ld), a. In her., 
same as counter-embattled. 
counter-beam (koun'ter-bem), n. A beam at- 
tached to the platen of a printing-machine by 
rods which communicate to the platen a recip- 
rocating motion. 
counterblast (koun'ter-blast), n. An opposing 
blast, literally or figuratively. 
counter-bond (koun'ter-bond), n. A bond of 
indemnification given to one who has become 
security for another. 
counterbrace (koun'ter-bras), n. 1. Naut., 
the lee brace of the foretopsail-yard. 2. In a 
frame, a brace which transmits a strain in an 
opposite direction from a main brace. 
counterbrace (koun-ter-bras'), v. t. ; pret. and 
pp. counterbraced, ppr. counterbracing. Naut., to 
brace in opposite directions : as, to counterbrace 
the yards (that is, to brace the head-yards one 
way and the after-yards another, as while un- 
der way, for the purpose of checking headway 
or heaving to). 
counter-brand (koun'ter-brand), n. A mark put 
on branded cattle, effacing the original brand. 
counterbuff (koun-ter-buf '), v. t. To strike 
back ; meet by a blow in an opposite direction ; 
drive back ; stop by a blow or a sudden check 
in front. 
counter-claim 
Whom Cuddye doth counterbuf with a by ting and bitter 
proverbe. Spenser, Shep. Cal., February, Embleme. 
counterbuff (koun'ter-buf), n. A blow in an 
opposite direction ; a stroke that stops motion 
or causes a recoil. 
It shall rest 
Till I conclude it with a counterbuff 
Given to these noble rascals. 
Chapman, All Fools, iv. 1. 
Where they give the Romanist one buffe, they receive 
two counterbu/s. Milton, Prelatical Episcopacy. 
counter-camp (koun'ter-kamp), a. In her., 
same as counter-company. 
counter-carte (koun'ter-kart), n. In fencing, 
a counter-parry in carte. See counter 3 , n., 6. 
counter-castt (koun'ter-kast), n. A delusive 
contrivance ; a contrary cast. 
He can devize this counter-cast of slight, 
To give faire colour to that Ladies cause In sight. 
Spenser, F. Q., VI. iii. 16. 
COUnter-castert (koun'ter-kas'ter), n. Acaster 
of accounts ; a reckoner ; a bookkeeper : used 
in contempt. 
This counter-caster, 
He, in good time, must his lieutenant be. 
Shak., Othello, i. 1. 
counterchange (koun-ter-chanj'), v. t. ; pret. 
and pp. counterchanged, _r>pr. counterchanging. 
[= F. contre-cltanger.] To give and receive in 
exchange ; cause to change places ; cause to 
change from one state to its opposite; cause 
to make alternate changes ; alternate. 
A sudden splendour from behind 
Flush'd all the leaves with rich gold-green, 
And, flowing rapidly between 
Their interspaces, counterchanged 
The level lake with diamond-plots 
Of dark and bright. Tennyson, Arabian Nights. 
counterchange (koun'ter-chanj), n. [= F. 
contre-change.] Interchange ; reciprocation. 
Posthumus anchors upon Imogen ; 
And she, like harmless lightning, throws her eye 
On him, her brothers, me, her master, hitting 
Each object with a joy ; the cmmterchange 
Is severally in all. Shak., Cymbeline, v. 5. 
counterchanged (koun-ter-chanjd'), p. a. 1. 
Exchanged. 2. [F. contre-eliange.] In her., 
having one tincture carried into 
another and the second into the 
first. Thus, in the illustration, that 
part of the bearing which falls upon 
the gules is or, and that part which falls 
upon the or is gules. Also counter- 
changing, counter-colored. 
Counter-changed, in heraldry, is 
when there is a mutual changing of 
the Colours of the Field and Charge in 
an Escutcheon, by reason of one or 
more Lines of Partition. 
Counterchanged. 
Per pale pules and 
or: a boar passant 
Booke of Precedence (E. E. T. S., extra counterchanged. 
[ser.), i. 114. 
counterchanging (koun-ter-chan'jing),^). a. In 
her., same as counterchanged. 
countercharge (koun-ter-charj '),.*.; pret. 
and pp. countercharged, ppr. countercharging. 
[< F. contre-charger.] To charge in return; 
make an accusation against (one's accuser). 
countercharge (koun'ter-charj), n. An oppos- 
ing charge ; specifically, a charge made by an 
accused person against his accuser. 
COUntercharm (koun'ter-charm), n. That 
which has the power of opposing or counter- 
acting the effect of a charm ; an opposite charm, 
as of one person in contrast with another. 
COUntercharm (koun-ter-charm'), v. t. To 
counteract the effect of a charm or of charms 
upon ; affect by opposing charms. 
countercheck (koun-ter-chek'), >. t. To op- 
pose or frustrate by some obstacle ; check. 
What we most intend is counter-check'd 
By strange and unexpected accidents. 
Middleton, Family of Love, iv. 4. 
countercheck (koun'ter-chek), B. Counter- 
action of a check; a check matching a check. 
If I sent him word again . . . [his beard] was not well 
cut, he would say, I lie: This is called the " Countercheck 
quarrelsome." Shak., As you Like it, v. 4. 
Many things perplex, 
With motions, checks, and counterchecks. 
Tennyson, Two Voices. 
COUnter-cheveronny (koun"ter-shev-e-ron'i), 
a. In her., cheveronny and divided palewise, 
the half chevrons alternating in tinctures : 
properly, cheveronny counterclimigcd : said of 
the field. Often used as equivalent to cliereronny. 
counter-claim (koun'ter-klam), n. A claim in 
the nature of a cross-action set up by the de- 
fendant against the plaintiff in a lawsuit. The 
term is sometimes used to include Avf-ojf and refoii'imfiii. 
and sometimes only those cross-claims which can be made 
the subject of an affirmative award in favor of the defen- 
dant. 
