288 C O U 
COUNTERPLOT, f An artifice oppofed to an arti¬ 
fice.—The wolf that had a plot upon the kid, was con¬ 
founded by a counterplot of the kid’s upon the wolf ; and 
1’uch a counterplot as the wolf, with all his fagacity, was 
not able to IVnell out. L’Ef range. 
COUNTERPOINT,/. A coverlet woven in fquares, 
commonly fpoken counterpane. In mulic, the art of com- 
pofing harmony; or difpofing and concerting feveral parts 
fo together, as that they may make an .agreeable whole. 
To COUNTERPO'ISE, v. a. To counterbalance ; to 
be equi-ponderant to ; to aft againlt with, equai weight. 
—-The force and the diftance of weights counterpet'[ing one 
another, ought to be reciprocal. Digby. —To produce a 
contrary aftion by an equal weight.—The heavinefs of 
bodies muff be counterpo/fed by a plummet fattened about 
the pulley to the axis, Wilkins. —To aft with equal power 
againlt any perfon or caufe.—So many freeholders of 
Englilh will be able to beard and to counterpoife the reft. 
Spetfer on Ireland. 
COUNTERPOISE,/". Equiponderance; equivalence 
of weight; equal force in the oppofite fcale of the ba¬ 
lance.—Fattening that to our exact balance, we put a 
metalline counterpoife into the oppofite fcale. Boyle. 
Take her by the hand, 
And tell her Ihe is thine; to whom I promife 
A counterpoife, if not in thy eltate, 
A balance more replete. Shakefpeare. 
The Itate of being placed in the oppofite fcale of the 
balance : 
Th’ Eternal hung forth his golden feales, 
Wherein all things created firlt he weigh’d, 
The pendulous round earth, with balanc’d air 
In counterpoife. ■ Milton. 
Equipollence; equivalence of power.—The fecond no¬ 
bles are a counterpoife to the higher nobility, that they 
grow not too potent. Bacon. 
COUNTERPOI'SON,/! Antidote ; medicine by which 
the effefts of poifon are obviated.— Ccunterpofons mu ft be 
adapted to the caufe; for example, in poifon from fub- 
limate corrofive, and arfenic. Arbuthnot. 
GOUNTERPRES'SURE, f, Oppofite force; power 
afting in contrary directions : 
Does it not all mechanic heads confound, 
That troops of atoms from all parts around. 
Of equal number, and of equal force. 
Should to this fingle point direct their courfe; 
That fo the counterprcJJ,lire ev’ry way, 
Of equal vigour, might their motions ftay, 
And by a fteady poife the whole in quiet lay ? Blackmore. 
COUNTER PRO'JEOT, f. Correfpondent part of a 
fcheme.—A clear reafon why they never fent any forces 
to Spain, and why the obligation not to enter into a treaty 
of peace with France, until that entire monarchy was 
yielded as a preliminary, was ftruck out of the counter¬ 
prof El by the Dutch. Swift. 
To COUNTERPRO'VE, v. a. To take off a defign 
in black lead, or red chalk, by palling it through the 
rolling-prefs with another piece of paper, both being 
moiftened with a fponge. Chambers. 
To COUNTERROL', v. a. [This is now generally 
written as it is fpoken, control. ] To preferve the power 
of detefting frauds by another account. 
COUNT ERROL'MENT,/; A counter account; con- 
trolment.—This manner of exercifing of this office, hath 
many tellimonies, interchangeable warrants,'and counter- 
rolments, whereof each, running through the hands, and 
refting in the power, of many feveral perfons, is fuffi- 
cient to argue and convince all manner of falfehood. 
Bacon. 
COUNTER.SC ARP, f. in fortification, that fide of 
the ditch or foffe that is next the country ; or properly 
the talus that fupports the earth of the covert-tv ay : 
c o u 
though by this word is often underftood the whole co¬ 
vert-way, with its parapet and glacis. And fo it rauft 
be underftood when it is laid, “ The enemy lodged them- 
felves on the counterfcarp.” 
To COUNTERSJ'GN, v.a. Tofignan order or pa¬ 
tent of a fuperior, in quality of lecretary, to render it 
more official. Thus charters are figned by the king, and 
counterfigned bv a fecretary of date, or lord chancellor. 
COUN'TERSTOCK, f. That part of a tally ftruck 
in the exchequer which is kept by an officer in that 
court, the other being delivered to the perfon that has 
lent the king money upon the account, and is called 
the fiock. 
COUN'TERSTROKE, f. A counteracting ftroke : 
He met him with a counterfroke fo fwift, 
That quite fmit off his.arme, as he did up it lift. Sperfcr. 
COUNTERTASTE,/ Falfe tafte.—There is a kind 
of countertafe founded on furprife and curiofity, which 
maintains a fort of rivallhip with the true. Shenfone. 
COUNTERTE'NOR, f. One of the mean or middle 
parts of mufic ; fo called, as it were, oppofite to the te¬ 
nor. Harris. —I am deaf: this deafnefs unqualifies me 
for all company, except a few friends with countertenor 
voices. Swift. 
COUNTERTI'DE,/’. Contrary tide; fluftuations of 
the water: 
Such were our countertides at land, and fo 
Prefaging of the fatal blow, 
In your prodigious ebb and flow. Dryden. 
COUNTERTI'ME,/] [ contretemps, Fr. ] The defence 
or refiftance of a horle, that intercepts his cadence, and 
the meafure of his manage. Farrier’s DiEl. —Defence j 
oppofition : 
Let cheerfulnefs on happy fortune wait, 
And give not thus the countertime to fate. Dryden. 
COUNTERTU'RN, f The cataftifis, called by the 
Romans ftatus, the height and full growth of the play, 
w r e may call properly the counterturn, which deftroys that 
expeftation, embroils the aftion in new difficulties, and 
leaves you far diftant from that hope in which it found 
you. Dryden. 
To COUNTERVAIL', v.a. [ contra and valeo, Lat.] 
To be equivalent to; to have equal force or value ; to 
aft againlt with equal power.—In fome men there may 
be found fuch qualities as are able to countervail thofe 
exceptions which might be taken againlt them, and fuch 
men’s authority is not likely to be lhaken off. Hooker. 
And therewithal he fiercely at him flew, 
And with important outrage him affail’d ; 
Who, foon prepar’d to field, his fword forth drew. 
And him with equal valour countervail’d. SpenJ'er. 
COUNTERVAIL', f. Equal weight; power or value 
fufficient to obviate any efteft or objection. That which 
has equal weight or value with fome thing elfe.—Surely, 
the prefent pleafure of a finful aft is a poor countervail 
for the bitternefs of the review, which begms where the 
aftion ends, and lafts for ever. South. —Requital : 
Thus do thefe lovers with fweet countervail 
Each other of love’s bitter fruit defpoil. Spenfer. 
COUNTERVIEW', f. Oppofition; a pollute in which 
two perfons front each other : 
Mean while, ere thus was fum’d and judg’d on earth, 
Within the gates of hell fat fin and death. 
In counterview. Milton. 
Contrail; a pefition in which two diffimilar things illuf- 
trate each other.—I have drawn fome lines of Lingers 
charafter, cn purpofe to place it in counterview or contrail 
with that of the other company. Swift. 
To COUNTER WG'RK, v.a. To counteraft; to hin¬ 
der any eft eft by contrary operations: 
