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country
coun·ter¹ /'kauntər/ n 1 a narrow table or flat surface at which customers are served in a shop, bank, restaurant etc: I'm sorry, this counter is closed now. 2 also countertop AmE for WORKTOP 3 over the counter (when buying drugs) without a doctor's PRESCRIPTION: You can buy antibiotics over the counter in this country. 4 under the counter privately, secretly, and often illegally: You can buy alcohol under the counter there, but it's risky and expensive.
counter² n 1 a person or especially an electrical apparatus that counts: Set the counter to zero and you'll know where the recording starts. → see also GEIGER COUNTER 2 a small flat object used in some table games, for example instead of money or to mark your place on a board
counter³ v [i;T] to move or act in order to oppose or defend yourself against (something): They moved two destroyers into the area to counter the threat from the enemy battleship. | They were accused of wasting public money, but they countered (this charge) with the claim that they had wide public support. | new measures that are aimed at countering the rise in violent crime
counter⁴ adj, adv [F+to] (in a manner or direction that is) opposed or opposite: He acted counter to all advice. | behaviour that runs counter to international law
counter⁵ n something that is opposed or can be used to oppose something else: The new missiles will be useful as a bargaining counter (=a means of gaining an advantage) in the arms control talks.
counter- → see WORD FORMATION TABLE
coun·ter·act /,kauntər'ækt/ v [T] to reduce or oppose the effect of (something) by opposite action: The drug counteracts the effects of the poison. —ion /'ækʃən/ n [C;U]
coun·ter·at·tack¹ /'kauntərə,tæk/ n an attack made to stop, oppose, or return an enemy attack
counterattack² v [i;T] to make a counterattack (on) —er n
coun·ter·at·trac·tion /,kauntərə'trækʃən/ n an attraction that competes with another
coun·ter·bal·ance¹ /'kauntə,bæləns||-tər-/ n a weight or force that acts as a balance for another weight or force
coun·ter·bal·ance² /,kauntə'bæləns||-tər-/ v [T] to oppose or balance with an equal weight or force: The elevator is counterbalanced by a heavy weight that moves in the opposite direction. | (fig.) Its usefulness fails to counterbalance its considerable expense.
coun·ter·blast /'kauntəbla:st||-tərblæst/ n (e.g. in newspapers) a violent or angry reply: Her speech brought a quick counterblast from the opposition leader.
coun·ter·charge /'kauntə,tʃa:d||-tər,tʃa:rdʒ/ n a statement that says someone has done something wrong, made after they have said that you have done something wrong
coun·ter·claim /'kauntəkleɪm||-tər-/ n an opposing claim, especially in law
coun·ter·clock·wise /,kauntə'klɒkwaɪz||-tər'klɑ:k-/ adj, adv AmE for ANTICLOCKWISE
coun·ter·cul·ture /'kauntə,kʌltʃər||-tər-/ n [U] the art, beliefs, behaviour etc of a group of people who are against the usual or accepted behaviour, art etc of society: the counterculture revolution of the late 1960s
coun·ter·es·pi·o·nage /,kauntər'espiənɑ:ʒ, -nɪdʒ/ also coun·ter·in·tel·li·gence /,kauntərɪn'telɪdʒəns/ n [U] secret police work directed towards uncovering and opposing enemy ESPIONAGE
coun·ter·feit¹ /'kauntəfɪt||-tər-/ v [T] to make an exact copy of (something) in order to deceive: They had been counterfeiting £5 notes. —er n
counterfeit² adj made exactly like something real in order to deceive: counterfeit money/passports | (fig.) counterfeit sympathy
coun·ter·foil /'kauntəfɔɪl||-tər-/ n especially BrE a part of a cheque, money order etc, kept by the sender as a record; STUB
coun·ter·in·sur·gen·cy /,kauntərɪn'sɜ:dʒənsi||-ɜ:r-/ n [U] military activity against INSURGENTS
coun·ter·mand /,kauntə'mɑ:nd, 'kauntəmɑ:nd|| 'kauntərmænd/ v [T] to declare (an order or command already given) ineffective, often by giving a different order: The sergeant's order was countermanded by a superior officer.
coun·ter·mea·sure /'kauntəmeʒər||-tər-/ n [often pl.] an action taken to oppose another action or situation: government countermeasures against terrorism
coun·ter·of·fen·sive /'kauntərə,fensɪv/ n a large-scale attack made to oppose or return an enemy attack: The speech marked the start of our counteroffensive against the military government.
coun·ter·pane /'kauntəpeɪn||-tər-/ n BrE a top covering for a bed; BEDSPREAD
coun·ter·part /'kauntəpɑ:t||-ərpɑ:rt/ n a person or thing that has the same purpose or does the same job as another in a different system: The Minister of Defence is meeting his American counterpart in Washington today. → compare OPPOSITE NUMBER
coun·ter·point /'kauntəpɔɪnt||-ər-/ n 1 [U] the combining of two or more tunes so that they can be played together as a single whole 2 [C] a tune added to another in this way
coun·ter·poise /'kauntəpɔɪz||-ər-/ v, n COUNTERBALANCE¹,²
coun·ter·pro·duc·tive /,kauntəprə'dʌktɪv||-tər-/ adj tending to work against a desired aim; having an opposite effect from the one intended: These hardline measures proved counterproductive, as they simply increased opposition to the government.
,counter-revo'lution n [C;U] political or military opposition to a REVOLUTION or to a government established by revolution —ary adj, n: counter-revolutionary forces
coun·ter·sign¹ /'kauntəsaɪn||-ər-/ v [T] to sign (a paper already signed by someone else): When you have signed the agreement, it will be countersigned by one of the directors.
countersign² n BrE a PASSWORD
coun·ter·sink /'kauntəsɪŋk||-ər-/ v -sank /sæŋk/, -sunk /sʌŋk/ [T] tech to fit (a screw) into an enlarged hole so that its head fits level with the surface
coun·ter·ten·or /,kauntə'tenər||'kauntər,tenər/ n (a male singer with) a high voice; ALTO
coun·ter·vail·ing /,kauntə'veɪlɪŋ|| -ər-/ adj [A] acting with equal force but opposite effect: He had to admit that the countervailing argument was equally as strong as his own.
coun·tess /'kauntɪs/ n a woman who holds the rank of EARL or COUNT either for herself or because she is the wife of an earl or count → compare COUNT
coun·ting·house /'kauntɪŋhaus/ n pl. -houses /,hauzɪz/ (in former times) a business office where accounts and money were kept
count·less /'kauntləs/ adj very many; too many to be counted: countless reasons against it
'count noun n tech a noun that has both singular and plural forms and that can be used with numbers and words such as many, few etc, or with a or an. In this dictionary, count nouns are often marked [C]. → compare UNCOUNTABLE
coun·tri·fied /'kʌntrɪfaɪd/ adj often derog of or like the country or country people; UNSOPHISTICATED
coun·try¹ /'kʌntri/ n 1 [C] an area of land that is a nation, especially considered together with its population, political organization, industry etc: Portugal is a smaller country than Spain. | England is my native country. (=the country where I was born) | The best farmland is in the north of the country. | The company has branches in 15 countries. | the world's major oil-producing countries | Bulgaria used to be a socialist country. | Several countries were represented at the conference. → compare NATION; see also MOTHER COUNTRY; see FOLK (USAGE) 2 [the] the land outside cities or towns; land used for farming or left unused: We're going to have a day in the country tomorrow. → see also CROSS-COUNTRY 3 [U] land with a special nature or character: good farming country | This is foxhunting country. (=an area where people hunt foxes) 4 go to the country especially BrE (of a government) to have a GENERAL ELECTION: If they're defeated in Parliament the government will go to the country. 5 your country needs you a phrase used on a British POSTER during World War I to persuade people to join the army
country² adj [A] of, in, or from the COUNTRY: country life | country sports | a country house