counter-

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counter- prefix, ME. countre- — AN. countre-, (O)F. contre- :- L. contrā- CONTRA-; denoting
i. against, opposite, in opposition to
,
ii. in reversal of or parallelism with a former action, as counter-reformation, -revolution
,
iii. in reciprocation or reply, as countersign
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iv. as the opposite member or constituent, as counterfoil, -part
,
v.. with a contrary action or movement, etc., in mutual opposition, as counterchange. counterblast XVI. counterfeit made in imitation; also sb. XIV. — OF. countrefet, -fait (mod. contrefait).

So counterfeit vb. XIII. — AN. countrefeter, f. countrefet pp. counterfoil XVIII; see FOIL 2. countermand XV. — OF. contremander; see MANDATE. counterpane XVII. alt., by assim. to PANE in the same sense (XIV), of †counterpoint (XV) — OF. contrepointe, alt. of *coutrepointe, cou(l)tepointe :- medL. culcit(r)a puncta ‘quilted mattress’; see POINT. counterpart XV. counterpoint XV. — (O)F. contrepoint — medL. contrāpunctum, cantus contrāpunctus ‘song pointed-against’, the accompaniment being orig. noted by points or pricks set against those of the plainsong melody. counterpoise weight balancing another weight XV; equilibrium XVI. — OF. contrepeis, -pois, countersign sign used in response to another sign. XVI. — F. contresigne — It. contrasegno. countertenor XIV. — OF. contreteneur — It. †contratenore.

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