counterbalˈance transitive verb

1. To balance by weight on the opposite side
2. To act against with equal weight, power or influence

noun /kownˈ/

An equal weight, power or agency working in opposition

counterbase noun see contrabass

counˈter-battˈery noun (military)

A battery erected to oppose another

counˈterbid noun

A bid made in opposition to another bid

counˈterbidder noun

counˈterblast noun

A defiant pronouncement or denunciation

counˈterblow noun

A return blow

counˈterbluff noun

Actions or words intended as a bluff, made in opposition to someone else's bluff

counˈterbond noun

A bond to protect a person who has given bond for another from contingent loss

counˈterbore noun

1. A straight-sided widening of the end of a bored hole
2. A drill for making this

transitive verb

To form a counterbore in

counˈterbrace transitive verb (nautical)

To brace or fasten (the head-yards and after-yards) in opposite ways

noun

The lee-brace of the foretopsail-yard

counˈterbuff noun

1. A stroke that stops motion or causes a recoil
2. A return blow
3. A rebuff

transitive verb

To rebuff

counˈter-cast noun (Spenser)

A contrary cast, counter-plot, trick

counˈterchange noun

1. A balanced contrast in a picture, etc between eg light on a dark background and dark on a light background
2. Exchange (Shakespeare)
3. Reciprocation (Shakespeare)

transitive verb

To chequer, eg with contrasting colours

counˈterchanged adjective (heraldry)

Having the tinctures reversed or interchanged

counˈtercharge noun

A charge brought forward in opposition to another charge (also intransitive verb)

counˈtercharm transitive verb

To destroy or dissolve the effects of (another charm)

noun

That which destroys the effects of another charm

countercheckˈ transitive verb

1. To check by opposing, separate or additional means
2. To rebuke

noun /kownˈ/

1. A check in opposition or addition to another
2. A restraint
3. A rebuke

counˈterclaim noun (esp law)

A claim brought forward as a partial or complete set-off against another claim (also intransitive verb)

counter-clockˈwise adverb and adjective

In a direction contrary to that of the hands of a clock

countercondiˈtioning noun (psychology)

The conditioning of a response that is opposite to a response previously acquired or learned

counˈterculture noun

A way of life deliberately different from that which is normal or expected

counˈter-current noun

A current flowing in an opposite direction

counˈter-drain noun

A drain alongside a canal, etc, to carry off water oozing out

counˈterdraw transitive verb

To trace on oiled paper or other transparent material

counter-espˈionage noun

Espionage directed against the enemy's spy system or action taken to counter it in one's own country

counter-evˈidence noun

Evidence that is brought forward in opposition to other evidence

counterexamˈple noun

An example cited as part of an argument against a statement, hypothesis, etc

counterextenˈsion noun

(in orthopaedics) the traction of part of a limb with the remainder held in a static position

counterfactˈual adjective and noun (philosophy)

(denoting) a condition that has not been fulfilled or is not likely to be fulfilled, but would have a certain consequence if it were

counˈter-fleury /-flooˈri or -flûˈri/ -flōˈry or -flowˈered adjective (heraldry)

With flowers placed the contrary way

counˈterfoil noun

The part of a bank cheque, postal order, ticket, etc retained by the giver as a record of the transaction (see foil²)

counˈter-force noun

An opposing force

counˈterfort noun

A buttress or arch supporting a retaining wall

counˈter-gauge noun

An adjustable scribing gauge for marking the measurements of a mortise on a piece to be tenoned

counˈter-glow noun

Gegenschein

counˈter-guard noun (fortification)

An outwork consisting of two lines of rampart running parallel to the faces of the bastion, to guard the bastion from being breached

counˈter-influence noun

An opposing influence

counter-insurˈgency noun

Action taken against insurgents (also adjective)

counter-intellˈigence noun

Activities, such as censorship, camouflage, use of codes, etc, aimed at preventing an enemy from obtaining information, or the organization that carries these out

counterintuˈitive adjective

1. Not what would be intuitively expected
2. Apparently improbable

counterintuˈitively adverb

counter-irrˈitant noun (esp medicine)

An irritant used to relieve another irritation or discomfort

counter-irritāˈtion noun

counˈterlight noun (art)

A light opposite to any object, disturbing the effect of its light

counˈtermarch intransitive verb and transitive verb

To march or cause to march back or in a direction opposite to a former one

noun

1. A marching back or in a direction opposite to a former one
2. A manoeuvre by which a body of men change front, and still retain the same men in the front rank (military)

counˈtermark noun

1. An additional mark put on a bale of goods belonging to several merchants, so that it may not be opened except in the presence of all the owners
2. A mark put on standard metal by the London Goldsmiths' Company in addition to the artificer's
3. An artificial cavity made in the teeth of horses to disguise their age

counˈtermeasure noun

An action intended to counteract the effect of another action or happening

countermineˈ transitive verb

1. To make an excavation in opposition to
2. To oppose by means of a countermine
3. To frustrate by secret working (figurative)

noun

1. An excavation made to counteract or destroy excavations made by the enemy (fortification)
2. Any means of counteraction (figurative)

counˈtermotion noun

An opposite motion

counˈtermove or counˈtermovement noun

A contrary move or movement

counˈtermure noun

1. A wall-facing
2. A supplementary wall
3. A wall raised by besiegers against a wall (fortification)

transitive verb /-mūrˈ/

To defend with a countermure

counˈteroffensive noun

1. A counter-attack
2. An attack by the defenders

counˈteroffer noun

A response made by a seller to a buyer's bid, usu lowering the price orig asked for, in an attempt to clinch a bargain

counˈter-opening noun

An aperture or vent on the opposite side, or in a different place

counˈterpace noun

1. A step in opposition to another
2. A contrary measure

counˈter-paled adjective (heraldry)

Divided equally, as an escutcheon, first palewise, then by a line fesse-wise, with tinctures counterchanged

counˈter-parole noun

A word in addition to the password

counter-passˈant adjective (heraldry)

Passing each other going in opposite directions

counˈterplea noun

A replication to a plea or request

counterpleadˈ transitive verb

To plead the contrary of

counˈter-plot transitive verb

To plot against in order to frustrate another plot

noun

A plot or stratagem opposed to another plot

counˈterpoise (obsolete counˈterpeise /-pēz/) transitive verb

1. To poise, balance or weigh against or on the opposite side
2. To act in opposition to with equal effect

noun

1. An equally heavy weight in the other scale (also figurative)
2. A state of equilibrium

counˈter-poison noun

A poison used as the antidote of another

counˈter-pressure noun

Opposing pressure

counterproducˈtive adjective

1. Acting against productivity, efficiency or usefulness
2. Having the opposite effect to that intended

counterproducˈtiveness noun

counˈterproof noun

An inverted impression obtained from a newly printed proof of an engraving, by laying it, while the ink is still wet, upon plain paper, and passing it through the press

counˈter-proposal noun

One which proposes an alternative to a proposal already made

counˈter-punch transitive verb

To return a punch or blow (also figurative)

noun

A return blow

Counter-Reformaˈtion noun (historical)

A reform movement within the Roman Catholic Church, following and counteracting the Reformation

counter-revoluˈtion noun

A subsequent revolution counteracting the effect of a previous one

counter-revoluˈtionary noun and adjective

(a person) opposing a particular revolution or opposed to revolutions

counˈter-roll noun (law; obsolete)

A copy of the rolls relating to appeals, inquests, etc, serving as a check on another's roll

counˈter-round noun (military; obsolete)

A body of officers to inspect patrols

counter-saˈlient adjective (heraldry)

Salient in opposite directions

counˈterscarp noun (fortification)

The side of the ditch nearest to the besiegers and opposite to the scarp

countersealˈ transitive verb (Shakespeare)

To seal with an extra seal for further security

counter-securˈity noun (finance)

Security given to someone who has become surety for another

counˈter-sense noun

An interpretation contrary to the real sense

counˈtershading noun

(in animals) dark and light areas of colour on the body serving to camouflage or protect

counˈtershaft noun

An intermediate shaft driven by the main shaft

countersignˈ transitive verb

1. To sign on the opposite side of a document, etc
2. To sign in addition to the signature of a superior or principal signatory, to attest the authenticity of a document

noun /kownˈ/

1. A military private sign or word, which must be given in order to pass a sentry
2. A counter-signature

counˈter-signal noun

A signal used in reply to another

counter-sigˈnature noun

A name countersigned to a document

counˈtersink transitive verb (pap and adjective counˈtersunk)

1. To enlarge the upper part of (a hole), eg for the head of a screw
2. To set the head or top of (eg a nail, screw, etc) on a level with, or below, the surface of the surrounding material

noun

1. A tool for doing this
2. The enlargement made to the hole

counˈterspy noun

counˈterspying noun

Counter-espionage

counˈterstain transitive verb (microscopy)

To apply additional dye to a specimen to produce a contrasting background

counˈter-stand noun

Opposition, resistance

counˈter-statement noun

A statement in opposition to another statement

counˈterstroke noun

A stroke in return

counˈter-subject noun (music)

A second theme by the first voice (esp in a fugue) when accompanying the second voice performing the main subject

counˈtersue transitive verb and intransitive verb

To sue a person by whom one is being sued

counˈter-tally noun

A tally serving as a check for another

coun'tertenor noun

The highest alto male voice (so called because a contrast to tenor)

counterterr'orism noun

Action taken to counter the activities of terrorists

counˈter-time noun

1. Resistance, opposition
2. The resistance of a horse that interrupts his cadence and the measure of his manège

counˈter-trading noun

Trading by barter

counˈter-turn noun

A turn in a play different from what was expected

counˈter-view noun

1. An opposing view
2. A posture in which two people face each other
3. Opposition
4. Contrast

counter-voteˈ transitive verb

To vote in opposition to

counter-weighˈ transitive verb

To weigh against, counterbalance

counˈter-weight noun

1. Weight in an opposite scale
2. A counterbalancing influence or force

counˈter-wheel intransitive verb

To wheel in an opposite direction

counˈter-work noun

A work intended to oppose another

counterworkˈ transitive verb

To work in opposition to

counˈter-wrought adjective