counter
[verb]
Synonyms:
- retaliate, answer, hit back, meet, oppose, parry, resist, respond, ward off
[adverb]
Synonyms:
- opposite to, against, at variance with, contrariwise, conversely, in defiance of, versus

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Related Words: baffle, balk, beat, bilk, circumvent, dash, disappoint, foil, frustrate, ruin, hostile, inimical, adverse, antagonistic, anti, oppugnant, hindering, impeding, obstructive

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. coun‧ter¹ S3 /ˈkaʊntə $ -ər/ noun [countable]
[Word Family: noun: count, recount, counter; verb: count, recount; adjective: countable ≠ uncountable, countless]
[Sense 1-5: Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: comptour, from Medieval Latin computatorium 'counting place', from Latin computare; ⇒ compute]
[Sense 6-7: Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: conteor, from conter; ⇒ count¹]
[Sense 8: Date: 1600-1700; 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 Synonym : 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.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. counter² verb
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: contre; ⇒ counter³]

1. [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.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

III. counter³ adjective, adverb
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: contre, from Latin contra; ⇒ contra-]
be/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.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

counter- /kaʊntə $ -tər/ prefix
[Language: Old French; Origin: contre-, from contre; ⇒ counter³]

1. the 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. done or given as a reaction to something, especially to oppose it:
claims and counterclaims

3. matching something:
my counterpart in the American system (=someone who has the same job as I have)

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

counter
noun
I. long flat surface
ADJ. bar, delicatessen/deli, display, post office, reception, shop | kitchen | glass, mahogany, wooden, zinc
VERB + COUNTER serve at/behind, work at/behind Mary served behind the counter at Bacon's for a few hours a week.
wipe (down) The barman wiped down the counter in silence.
COUNTER + NOUN staff post office counter staff
PREP. across a/the~ He pushed the money across the counter to her.
at/behind a/the ~ The assistant behind the counter gave a curt nod.
on a/the ~ all the goods on the counter

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

counter
II. action used to prevent sth
ADJ. effective
PREP. ~ to The government's programme should be an effective counter to unemployment.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

counter
̈ɪˈkauntə
See: under the counter

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲