coun·ter¹ / ˈkountər/ • n. 1. a long flat-topped fixture in a store or bank across which business is conducted with customers. ∎  a similar structure used for serving food and drinks in a cafeteria or bar. ∎  a countertop.2. an apparatus used for counting. ∎  a person who counts something, for example votes in an election. ∎  Physics an apparatus used for counting individual ionizing particles or events.3. a small disk used as a place marker or for keeping the score in board games. ∎  a token representing a coin.PHRASES: over the counter by ordinary retail purchase, with no need for a prescription or license: [as adj.] over-the-counter medicines. ∎  (of share transactions) taking place outside the stock exchange system.under the counter (or table) (with reference to goods bought or sold) surreptitiously and typically illegally: certain labs have been peddling this drug under the counter | [as adj.] an under-the-counter deal. coun·ter² • v. [tr.] speak or act in opposition to. ∎  [intr.] respond to hostile speech or action: “What would you like me to do about it ?” she countered ∎  [intr.] Boxing give a return blow while parrying: he countered with a left hook.• adv. (counter to) in the opposite direction to or in conflict with: some actions by the authorities ran counter to the call for leniency.• adj. responding to something of the same kind, esp. in opposition.See also counter-.• n. 1. [usu. in sing.] a thing that opposes or prevents something else. ∎  an answer to an argument or criticism. ∎  Boxing a blow given while parrying; a counterpunch.2. the curved part of the stern of a ship projecting aft above the waterline.3. Printing the white space enclosed by a letter such as O or c.coun·ter³ • n. the back part of a shoe or boot, enclosing the heel.

counter A clocked digital electronic device whose output takes up one and one only of a number, n, of distinct states upon the application of each clock pulse (see clock). The output thus reflects the total number of clock pulses received by the counter up to its maximum capacity, n. All n states are displayed sequentially for n active transitions of the clock, the sequence then repeating. Since n clock pulses are required to drive the output between any two identical states, counters provide a “divide-by-n action” and are thus also known as dividers.

A counter whose output is capable of displaying n discrete states before producing an overflow condition can also be called a mod-n counter (or modulo-n counter), since it may be considered to be counting input pulses to a base of n. The value of n is often an integer power of 2. Counters are generally formed by a cascaded series of clocked flip-flops (see cascadable counter), each of which provides a divide-by-two action. For a counter consisting of m flip-flops, the maximum capacity of the counter will be 2^m since 2^m discrete output states are possible, i.e. n is equal to 2^m. These are known as binary counters.

Count lengths of other than integer multiples of two are possible. For example, a decade counter (or mod-10 counter) exhibits 10 separate and distinct states. To achieve this digitally requires a counter having at least four individual flip-flop elements, giving 2⁴ or 16 possible output states; six of these states are prevented from occurring by a suitable arrangement of logic gates around the individual flip-flops. In multimode counters the number, n, of distinct states can be selected by the user.

See also ripple counter, synchronous counter, shift counter, Johnson counter.

counter 4 go counter to, oppose XIV; give a counterblow XIX. orig. aphetic of †acounter, var. of ENCOUNTER; in later use a fresh formation on COUNTER- or COUNTER 5.

counter 2
A. †opposite direction to that taken by the game XVI;

B. part of a horse's breast lying between the shoulders; curved part of a ship's stern XVII. f. COUNTER 3 or COUNTER 5.

counter 1 object used in counting; desk for counting money, etc., (hence) money-changer's table, tradesman's table in his shop. XIV. — AN. count(e)our, OF. conteo(i)r (mod. comptoir) :- medL. computātōrium, f. L. computāre COMPUTE.