COUNTERATTACK

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does counterattack mean? 

• COUNTERATTACK (noun)
  The noun COUNTERATTACK has 2 senses:

1. an attack by a defending force against an attacking enemy force in order to regain lost ground or cut off enemy advance units etc.

2. (chess) an attack that is intended to counter the opponent's advantage in another part of the board

  Familiarity information: COUNTERATTACK used as a noun is rare.

• COUNTERATTACK (verb)
  The verb COUNTERATTACK has 1 sense:

1. make a counterattack

  Familiarity information: COUNTERATTACK used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• COUNTERATTACK (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An attack by a defending force against an attacking enemy force in order to regain lost ground or cut off enemy advance units etc.

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

counterattack; countermove

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

attack; onrush; onset; onslaught ((military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons))

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

riposte ((fencing) a counterattack made immediately after successfully parrying the opponents lunge)

Derivation:

counterattack (make a counterattack)

Sense 2

Meaning:

(chess) an attack that is intended to counter the opponent's advantage in another part of the board

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

counterattack; counterplay

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

attack (an offensive move in a sport or game)

Domain category:

chess; chess game (a board game for two players who move their 16 pieces according to specific rules; the object is to checkmate the opponent's king)

• COUNTERATTACK (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they counterattack    ... he / she / it counterattacks   
Past simple: counterattacked   
Past participle: counterattacked   
-ing form: counterattacking   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make a counterattack

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

counterattack; counterstrike

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

assail; attack (launch an attack or assault on; begin hostilities or start warfare with)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

counterattack (an attack by a defending force against an attacking enemy force in order to regain lost ground or cut off enemy advance units etc.)

 Context examples 

They found that when used against a single competitor, provocation backfires: the provoked strain mounts a strong toxic counterattack and harms the provoking strain.

(Bacteria Can 'Divide and Conquer' to Vanquish Their Enemies, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)