Word family noun count recount counter adjective countable ≠ uncountable countless verb count recount
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcountercoun‧ter1 /ˈkaʊntə $ -ər/ ●●● S3 noun [countable] 1 SHOPDHFthe place where you pay or are served in a shop, bank, restaurant etc He wondered if the girl behind the counter recognised him.2 DHF American English a long flat surface on top of a piece of furniture, especially in a kitchen SYN worktop British English3 → over the counter4 → under the counter5 GAMEDGBa small object that you use in some games that are played on a board6 EQUIPMENTTCOUNT/CALCULATEa piece of electrical equipment that counts something Set the video counter to zero before you press play. → Geiger counter7 a computer program that counts the number of people who have visited a website8 ACTION AGAINST somethingPREVENTan action that tries to prevent something bad from happening, or an argument that is used to prove that something is wrongcounter to The road blocks were a counter to terrorist attacks in that area.Examples from the Corpus
counter• The proprietor, Mr John Allan, sat at a counter carefully turning the brittle pages of what seemed an ancient book.• a counter-top appliance• After bids and counter bids the Secretary of State referred the Guinness proposal to the Commission for inquiry and report.• the blue counter• She was sounding unexpectedly urgent as they approached the empty checkout counter.• The local supermarket has a good deli counter.• I looked at her across the counter and tried to detect some glimmer of unexplained Highland intuition.• The cashier stood waiting behind the counter.• Careful, you're going to spill it all over the counter.• There's pots to wash and a broom under the counter.• The girl had left the weighing counter.countercounter2 ●○○ verb 1 [intransitive, transitive]PROVE to say something in order to try to prove that what someone said was not true or as a reply to something ‘I could ask the same thing of you, ’ she countered.counter an argument/an allegation/a criticism etc He was determined to counter the bribery allegations.2 [transitive]SOLVE/DEAL WITH A PROBLEM to do something in order to prevent something bad from happening or to reduce its bad effects Exercise helps to counter the effects of stress.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
counter• Edward's first move was to counter any possible threat to Aquitaine from the south and from the sea.• This dual process of introduction is systematically countered by a dual process of elimination.• Yet they did little to counter the challenge of socialism.• Rodrigues countered the criticism by saying that the group does a lot of things for the area that go unnoticed.• Hospitals must offer better salaries to counter the shortage of nurses.• One measure designed to counter this is the introduction this year of just one school-leaving date - the end of June.• But Dole countered with a heavily negative response.• Now, I countered with an offer of $ 850,000.countercounter3 adjective, adverb → be/run/go counter to somethingcounter-counter- /kaʊntə $ -tər/ prefix 1 OPPOSITE/REVERSEthe opposite of something a counterproductive thing to do (=producing results opposite to what you wanted) It is not hard to find a counter-example (=an example that shows the opposite).2 REACTdone or given as a reaction to something, especially to oppose it claims and counterclaims3 XXmatching something my counterpart in the American system (=someone who has the same job as I have)Examples from the Corpus
counter-• proposals and counter-proposalsFrom Longman Business Dictionarycountercoun‧ter /ˈkaʊntə-ər/ noun [countable]1COMMERCEthe place where you are served in a shop, bank etcPlease pay at the checkout counter.2across/over the counterCOMMERCE if something can be done or obtained across or over the counter, it can be done easily in a shop, bank etc without making special arrangementsYou can also withdraw and deposit money across the counter in any of our branches just by presenting your card.3under the counterCOMMERCE something that is kept or sold under the counter can only be obtained illegally or unofficially → see also bean counterOrigin counter- Old French contre-, from contre; → COUNTER3 counter1 1. (1300-1400) Old French comptour, from Medieval Latin computatorium “counting place”, from Latin computare; → COMPUTE2. (1300-1400) Old French conteor, from conter; → COUNT13. (1600-1700) French contre, from contre “against” counter2 (1300-1400) Old French contre; → COUNTER3 counter3 (1300-1400) Old French contre, from Latin contra; → CONTRA- 