counter
coun‧ter1 S3 /ˈkaʊntə $ -ər/ 
noun [countable]
Language: Old French
Origin: comptour, from Medieval Latin computatorium 'counting place', from Latin computare; ⇨ compute
Language: French
Origin: contre, from contre 'against'1. the place where you pay or are served in a shop, bank, restaurant etc:
He wondered if the girl behind the counter recognised him.
2. American English a long flat surface on top of a piece of furniture, especially in a kitchen
SYN worktop British English
3. over the counter drugs, medicines etc that are bought over the counter are ones that you can buy in a shop without a prescription from a doctor
4. under the counter if you buy something under the counter, you buy it secretly and usually illegally:
It’s risky, but you can get alcohol under the counter.
5. a small object that you use in some games that are played on a board
6. a piece of electrical equipment that counts something:
Set the video counter to zero before you press play. ⇨ Geiger counter
7. a computer program that counts the number of people who have visited a website
8. an action that tries to prevent something bad from happening, or an argument that is used to prove that something is wrong
counter to
The road blocks were a counter to terrorist attacks in that area.
counter2 verb1. [intransitive and transitive] 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] 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.
counter3 adjective, adverbbe/run/go counter to something to be the opposite of something:
Some actions by the authorities ran counter to the President’s call for leniency.
| I |
noun [countable] Word Family: noun: count, recount, counter; verb: count, recount; adjective: countable ≠ uncountable, countless
Sense 1-5
Date: 1300-1400Language: Old French
Origin: comptour, from Medieval Latin computatorium 'counting place', from Latin computare; ⇨ compute
Sense 8
Date: 1600-1700Language: French
Origin: contre, from contre 'against'
2. American English a long flat surface on top of a piece of furniture, especially in a kitchen
SYN worktop British English
3. over the counter drugs, medicines etc that are bought over the counter are ones that you can buy in a shop without a prescription from a doctor
4. under the counter if you buy something under the counter, you buy it secretly and usually illegally:
5. a small object that you use in some games that are played on a board
6. a piece of electrical equipment that counts something:
7. a computer program that counts the number of people who have visited a website
8. an action that tries to prevent something bad from happening, or an argument that is used to prove that something is wrong
counter to
| II |
verb1. [intransitive and transitive] to say something in order to try to prove that what someone said was not true or as a reply to something: counter an argument/an allegation/a criticism etc
2. [transitive] to do something in order to prevent something bad from happening or to reduce its bad effects:
| III |
adjective, adverbbe/run/go counter to something to be the opposite of something: