a horizontal surface, as in a shop or bank, over which business is transacted (in some cafeterias) a long table on which food is served to customers a small flat disc of wood, metal, or plastic, used in various board games a similar disc or token used as an imitation coin a person or thing that may be used or manipulated a skating figure consisting of three circles - under the counter ⇒ (under-the-counter when prenominal)
(of the sale of goods, esp goods in short supply) clandestine, surreptitious, or illegal; not in an open manner - over the counter ⇒ (over-the-counter when prenominal)
(of security transactions) through a broker rather than on a stock exchange
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
count•er1 /ˈkaʊntɚ/USA pronunciation
n. [countable]
count•er2 /ˈkaʊntɚ/USA pronunciation n. [countable]
coun•ter3 /ˈkaʊntɚ/USA pronunciation adv.
adj. [be + ~ + to + object]
n. [countable]
v. [~ + object]
counter-, [prefix.]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- a table or surface on which goods can be shown, etc.:Bring your goods to the checkout counter.
- (in restaurants, etc.) a long, narrow table with stools for the customers, behind which meals are prepared and served:The waitress tossed our food down on the counter.
- a long, flat surface for the preparation of food in a kitchen:Just put the dishes on the counter for now.
- Gamesanything used to keep account, esp. a disk or other small object used in a game, as checkers.
- Idioms, Business over the counter, [uncountable]
- (of the sale of stock) through a broker's office rather than through the stock exchange.
- (of the sale of medicinal drugs) without requiring a prescription:You can buy that drug over the counter in any shop.
- Idioms, Business under the counter, [uncountable] illegally:If we buy the tickets under the counter using dollars, we'll get a much better price and exchange rate.
count•er2 /ˈkaʊntɚ/USA pronunciation n. [countable]
- a person or thing that counts.
- Physicsan instrument for detecting and registering radiation.
coun•ter3 /ˈkaʊntɚ/USA pronunciation adv.
- in the reverse direction;
contrary:[~ + to + object]This ran counter to what we expected.
adj. [be + ~ + to + object]
- opposite;
opposed;
contrary:The attack was counter to our expectations.
n. [countable]
- something opposite or contrary to something else, such as a statement or action made to oppose another:He made a quick counter to the guard's remark about ignorant tourists.
v. [~ + object]
- to oppose, esp. so as to weaken:I countered her arguments by pointing out the advantages of my plan.
counter-, [prefix.]
- counter- has the meaning "against, counter to, opposed to.'' This meaning is found in such words as: counterattack, counterclockwise.
count•er1
(koun′tər),USA pronunciation n.
count•er2 (koun′tər),USA pronunciation n.
coun•ter3 (koun′tər),USA pronunciation adv.
adj.
n.
v.t.
v.i.
coun•ter4 (koun′tər),USA pronunciation v.t.
counter-,
- a table or display case on which goods can be shown, business transacted, etc.
- (in restaurants, luncheonettes, etc.) a long, narrow table with stools or chairs along one side for the patrons, behind which refreshments or meals are prepared and served.
- a surface for the preparation of food in a kitchen, esp. on a low cabinet.
- Gamesanything used in keeping account, as a disk of metal or wood, used in some games, as checkers, for marking a player's position or for keeping score.
- an imitation coin or token.
- a coin;
money. - Business over the counter:
- (of the sale of stock) through a broker's office rather than through the stock exchange.
- (of the sale of merchandise) through a retail store rather than through a wholesaler.
- Idioms, Business under the counter, in a clandestine manner, esp. illegally:books sold under the counter.
- Medieval Latin computātorium place for computing, equivalent. to Latin computā(re) to compute + -tōrium -tory2; compare count1
- Anglo-French (Old French comptoir)
- Middle English countour 1300–50
count•er2 (koun′tər),USA pronunciation n.
- a person who counts.
- a device for counting revolutions of a wheel, items produced, etc.
- Games[Cards.]See card counter.
- Computinga storage register or program variable used to tally how often something of interest occurs.
- Electronicsscaler (def. 2).
- [Physics.]any of various instruments for detecting ionizing radiation and for registering counts. Cf. Geiger counter.
- Anglo-French (Old French conteor)
Latin computātor, equivalent. to computā(re) to compute + -tor -tor - Middle English countour 1325–75
coun•ter3 (koun′tər),USA pronunciation adv.
- in the wrong way;
contrary to the right course;
in the reverse or opposite direction. - contrary;
in opposition (usually prec. by run or go):to run counter to the rules.
adj.
- opposite;
opposed;
contrary.
n.
- something that is opposite or contrary to something else.
- a blow delivered in receiving or parrying another blow, as in boxing.
- a statement or action made to refute, oppose, or nullify another statement or action.
- Sport[Fencing.]a circular parry.
- Clothinga piece of leather or other material inserted between the lining and outside leather of a shoe or boot quarter to keep it stiff.
- Nautical, Naval Termsthe part of a stern that overhangs and projects aft of the sternpost of a vessel.
- PrintingAlso called void. [Typesetting.]any part of the face of a type that is less than type-high and is therefore not inked.
- Building, Civil Engineering[Engin., Building Trades.]a truss member subject to stress only under certain partial loadings of the truss.
- Zoologythe part of a horse's breast that lies between the shoulders and under the neck.
v.t.
- to go counter to;
oppose;
controvert. - to meet or answer (a move, blow, etc.) by another in return.
v.i.
- to make a counter or opposing move.
- to give a blow while receiving or parrying one, as in boxing.
- Latin contrā against. See counter-
- Anglo-French co(u)ntre, cuntre, Old French contre
- late Middle English countre 1400–50
coun•ter4 (koun′tər),USA pronunciation v.t.
- to encounter in opposition or combat.
- Middle French acontrer. See a-5, encounter
- Middle English countren, aphetic variant of acountren 1250–1300
counter-,
- a combining form of counter3, used with the meanings "against,'' "contrary,'' "opposite,'' "in opposition or response to'' (countermand);
"complementary,'' "in reciprocation,'' "corresponding,'' "parallel'' (counterfoil;
counterbalance);
"substitute,'' "duplicate'' (counterfeit).
- see counter3 Middle English countre-
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
in a contrary direction or manner in a wrong or reverse direction - run counter to ⇒
to have a contrary effect or action to
opposing; opposite; contrary
something that is contrary or opposite to some other thing an act, effect, or force that opposes another a return attack, such as a blow in boxing a parry in which the foils move in a circular fashion the portion of the stern of a boat or ship that overhangs the water aft of the rudder a piece of leather forming the back of a shoe
to say or do (something) in retaliation or response - (transitive)
to move, act, or perform in a manner or direction opposite to (a person or thing) to return the attack of (an opponent)
a person who counts an apparatus that records the number of occurrences of events any instrument for detecting or counting ionizing particles or photons
See Geiger counter, scintillation counter
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
against; opposite; contrary: counterattack complementary; corresponding: counterfoil