counter

1 noun (C)

1 SHOP the place where you pay or are served in a shop, bank, restaurant etc

2 over the counter drugs, medicines etc that are bought over the counter are ones that you can buy in a shop without a prescription (1) from a doctor

3 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.

4 KITCHEN AmE a flat surface on top of a piece of furniture, especially in a kitchen, used for working on, preparing food etc; work-surface BrE: Just leave my keys on the kitchen counter.

5 GAME a small round object that you use in some games that are played on a board

6 EQUIPMENT a piece of electrical equipment that counts something: Set the video counter to zero before you press play.

-see also: geiger counter

7 ACTION AGAINST STH an action that is used to try to prevent something bad from happening, or an argument used to prove that something is wrong

(+ to): Britain began its pro-Japanese policy as a counter to Russian advances in Asia. 2 verb

1 (I, T) to say something in order to try to prove that what someone said was not true

(+ that): "That's not what James told me," he countered. | counter an argument/allegation etc: He was determined to counter the bribery allegations.

2 (T) to do something in order to reduce the bad effects of something, or to defend yourself against them: One way of countering these problems would be to redistribute wealth among the poor.

3 adverb (not before noun) in a way that is opposite to something: run counter to: The child is asked to behave in ways which run counter to his natural desires. - counter adjective: To publicize this revolting film is counter to the standards of your newspaper.