COUNTER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does counter mean? 

• COUNTER (noun)
  The noun COUNTER has 9 senses:

1. table consisting of a horizontal surface over which business is transacted

2. game equipment (as a piece of wood, plastic, or ivory) used for keeping a count or reserving a space in various card or board games

3. a calculator that keeps a record of the number of times something happens

4. a piece of furniture that stands at the side of a dining room; has shelves and drawers

5. a person who counts things

6. a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one)

7. (computer science) a register whose contents go through a regular series of states (usually states indicating consecutive integers)

8. a piece of leather forming the back of a shoe or boot

9. a return punch (especially by a boxer)

  Familiarity information: COUNTER used as a noun is familiar.

• COUNTER (adjective)
  The adjective COUNTER has 1 sense:

1. indicating opposition or resistance

  Familiarity information: COUNTER used as an adjective is very rare.

• COUNTER (verb)
  The verb COUNTER has 2 senses:

1. speak in response

2. act in advance of; deal with ahead of time

  Familiarity information: COUNTER used as a verb is rare.

• COUNTER (adverb)
  The adverb COUNTER has 1 sense:

1. in the opposite direction

  Familiarity information: COUNTER used as an adverb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• COUNTER (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Table consisting of a horizontal surface over which business is transacted

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("counter" is a kind of...):

table (a piece of furniture having a smooth flat top that is usually supported by one or more vertical legs)

Meronyms (parts of "counter"):

countertop (the top side of a counter)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "counter"):

bar (a counter where you can obtain food or drink)

checkout; checkout counter (a counter in a supermarket where you pay for your purchases)

meat counter (counter where meats are displayed for sale)

notions counter (counter where notions are sold)

reception desk (a counter (as in a hotel) where guests are received)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Game equipment (as a piece of wood, plastic, or ivory) used for keeping a count or reserving a space in various card or board games

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("counter" is a kind of...):

game equipment (equipment or apparatus used in playing a game)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "counter"):

chip; poker chip (a small disk-shaped counter used to represent money when gambling)

Derivation:

count (determine the number or amount of)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A calculator that keeps a record of the number of times something happens

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

counter; tabulator

Hypernyms ("counter" is a kind of...):

calculating machine; calculator (a small machine that is used for mathematical calculations; can be mechanical or electronic)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "counter"):

pulse counter (an electronic counter that counts the number of electric pulses)

Derivation:

count (determine the number or amount of)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A piece of furniture that stands at the side of a dining room; has shelves and drawers

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

buffet; counter; sideboard

Hypernyms ("counter" is a kind of...):

article of furniture; furniture; piece of furniture (furnishings that make a room or other area ready for occupancy)

Meronyms (parts of "counter"):

drawer (a boxlike container in a piece of furniture; made so as to slide in and out)

shelf (a support that consists of a horizontal surface for holding objects)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "counter"):

credence; credenza (a kind of sideboard or buffet)

cellaret; minibar (sideboard with compartments for holding bottles)

Holonyms ("counter" is a part of...):

dining-room; dining room (a room used for dining)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A person who counts things

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("counter" is a kind of...):

individual; mortal; person; somebody; someone; soul (a human being)

Derivation:

count (determine the number or amount of)

Sense 6

Meaning:

A quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

comeback; counter; rejoinder; replication; retort; return; riposte

Context example:

it brought a sharp rejoinder from the teacher

Hypernyms ("counter" is a kind of...):

reply; response (the speech act of continuing a conversational exchange)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "counter"):

back talk; backtalk; lip; mouth; sass; sassing (an impudent or insolent rejoinder)

Derivation:

counter (speak in response)

Sense 7

Meaning:

(computer science) a register whose contents go through a regular series of states (usually states indicating consecutive integers)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("counter" is a kind of...):

register ((computer science) memory device that is the part of computer memory that has a specific address and that is used to hold information of a specific kind)

Domain category:

computer science; computing (the branch of engineering science that studies (with the aid of computers) computable processes and structures)

Derivation:

count (determine the number or amount of)

Sense 8

Meaning:

A piece of leather forming the back of a shoe or boot

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

counter; heel counter

Context example:

a counter may be used to stiffen the material around the heel and to give support to the foot

Hypernyms ("counter" is a kind of...):

piece of leather (a separate part consisting of leather)

Holonyms ("counter" is a part of...):

boot (footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg)

shoe (footwear shaped to fit the foot (below the ankle) with a flexible upper of leather or plastic and a sole and heel of heavier material)

Sense 9

Meaning:

A return punch (especially by a boxer)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

counter; counterpunch; parry

Hypernyms ("counter" is a kind of...):

biff; clout; lick; poke; punch; slug ((boxing) a blow with the fist)

• COUNTER (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Indicating opposition or resistance

Synonyms:

antagonistic; counter

Similar:

negative (characterized by or displaying negation or denial or opposition or resistance; having no positive features)

• COUNTER (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they counter    ... he / she / it counters   
Past simple: countered   
Past participle: countered   
-ing form: countering   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Speak in response

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

He countered with some very persuasive arguments

Hypernyms (to "counter" is one way to...):

answer; reply; respond (react verbally)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Sentence example:

They counter that there was a traffic accident

Derivation:

counter (a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Act in advance of; deal with ahead of time

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

anticipate; counter; foresee; forestall

Hypernyms (to "counter" is one way to...):

act; move (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action))

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

• COUNTER (adverb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

In the opposite direction

Context example:

run counter

 Context examples 

“If we could boost the brain’s ability to function, we may be able to counter dementias.”

(Longevity gene linked to better brain skills, NIH, US)

However, statins also give rise to the body forming more of a harmful protein — known as PCSK9 — which counters the effect of the statins.

(Discovery Can Pave the Way for More Effective Cholesterol Medicine, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Those levels are even higher than increases from over-the-counter melatonin supplements.

(Artificial Light of Digital Devices Lessens Sleep Quality, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

It is primarily used as an intermediate in the production of dyes, smoke screens, scintillation counter crystals, and in organic semiconductor research.

(Anthracene, NCI Thesaurus)

Treatments include over-the-counter antifungal creams for most cases and prescription medicines for more serious infections.

(Athlete's Foot, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

It regulates over-the-counter and prescription drugs, including biological therapeutics and generic drugs.

(Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, NCI Thesaurus)

Taking over-the-counter pain relievers and resting can help.

(Back Pain, NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)

Physical interactions between integrin alpha4beta1 heterodimer expressed on B cells and counter receptors on stroma cells are key mediators of the survival of normal and malignant B cells.

(B-Cell Survival Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

One strategy to counter this resistance being investigated by an Agricultural Research Service (ARS)-led team of scientists comes from soil-dwelling members of the bacterial group Streptomyces.

(Soil Bacterium Tapped for Penicillin Guard Duty, U.S. Department of Agriculture)

A widely used family of over-the-counter painkillers may increase the risk of having a heart attack, a new study suggests.

(Common Painkillers Linked to Increased Risk for Heart Attack, VOA)