Counter vs Contrary - What's the difference?
counter | contrary | Related terms |
An object (now especially a small disc) used in counting or keeping count, or as a marker in games, etc.
* He rolled a six on the dice, so moved his counter forward six spaces.
(curling) Any stone lying closer to the center than any of the opponent's stones.
A table or board on which money is counted and over which business is transacted; a shop tabletop on which goods are examined, weighed or measured.
* He put his money on the counter , and the shopkeeper put it in the till.
One who counts, or reckons up; a reckoner.
* He's only 16 months, but is already a good counter - he can count to 100.
A telltale; a contrivance attached to an engine, printing press, or other machine, for the purpose of counting the revolutions or the pulsations.
(historical) The prison attached to a city court; a Counter.
(grammar) A class of word used along with numbers to count objects and events, typically mass nouns. Although rare and optional in English (e.g. "20 head of cattle"), they are numerous and required in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.
In a kitchen, a surface, often built into the wall and above a cabinet, whereon various food preparations take place.
(wrestling) A proactive defensive hold or move in reaction to a hold or move by one's opponent.
* Always know a counter to any hold you try against your opponent.
(computing, programming) A variable, memory location, etc. whose contents are incremented to keep a count.
(computing, Internet) A hit counter.
Contrary, in opposition; in an opposite direction.
* Running counter to all the rules of virtue. -Locks .
(nautical) The overhanging stern of a vessel above the waterline.
(by extension) The piece of a shoe or a boot around the heel of the foot (above the heel of the shoe/boot).
* 1959 , , Seymour: An Introduction :
To contradict, oppose.
(boxing) To return a blow while receiving one, as in boxing.
* His left hand countered provokingly. - C. Kingsley
To take action in response to; to respond.
* {{quote-magazine, date=2012-12-14
, author=Simon Jenkins, authorlink=Simon Jenkins
, title=We mustn't overreact to North Korea boys' toys
, volume=188, issue=2, page=23
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Contrary; opposite; contrasted; opposed; adverse; antagonistic.
* I. Taylor
In opposition; in an opposite direction; contrariwise.
* John Locke
In the wrong way; contrary to the right course.
* Shakespeare
At or against the front or face.
* Sandys
(obsolete) An encounter.
* Spenser
(nautical) The after part of a vessel's body, from the water line to the stern, below and somewhat forward of the stern proper.
(music) Formerly used to designate any under part which served for contrast to a principal part, but now used as equivalent to countertenor.
The breast, or that part of a horse between the shoulders and under the neck.
The back leather or heel part of a boot.
Opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse.
* Bible, Leviticus xxvi. 21
* Shakespeare
Opposed; contradictory; inconsistent.
* Whewell
Given to opposition; perverse; wayward.
The opposite.
* Shakespeare
One of a pair of propositions that cannot both be simultaneously true.
* I. Watts
(obsolete) To oppose; to frustrate.
*Bishop Latimer
*:I was advised not to contrary the king.
*, I.47:
*:The Athenians having left the enemie in their owne land, for to pass into Sicilie , had very ill successe, and were much contraried by fortune.
(obsolete) To impugn.
(obsolete) To contradict (someone or something).
*:
*:thus wilfully sir Palomydes dyd bataille with yow / & as for hym sir I was not gretely aferd but I dred fore la?celot that knew yow not / Madame said Palomydes ye maye saye what so ye wyll / I maye not contrary yow but by my knyghthode I knewe not sir Tristram
*, II.12:
*:I finde them everie one in his turne to have reason, although they contrary one another.
(obsolete) To do the opposite of (someone'' or ''something ).
(obsolete) To act inconsistently or perversely; to act in opposition to .
(obsolete) To argue; to debate; to uphold an opposite opinion.
(obsolete) To be self-contradictory; to become reversed.
Contrary is a related term of counter.
In obsolete terms the difference between counter and contrary
is that counter is an encounter while contrary is to be self-contradictory; to become reversed.As nouns the difference between counter and contrary
is that counter is an object (now especially a small disc) used in counting or keeping count, or as a marker in games, etc while contrary is the opposite.As adverbs the difference between counter and contrary
is that counter is contrary, in opposition; in an opposite direction while contrary is contrarily.As verbs the difference between counter and contrary
is that counter is to contradict, oppose while contrary is to oppose; to frustrate.As adjectives the difference between counter and contrary
is that counter is contrary; opposite; contrasted; opposed; adverse; antagonistic while contrary is opposite; in an opposite direction; in opposition; adverse.counter
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) (m), from (etyl) (m) (French (m)), from .Noun
(en noun)Derived terms
* bean counter * counter batten * countertop * hit counter * over the counter * program counter * rivet counterEtymology 2
From (etyl) contre, (etyl) cuntre, both from (etyl) contra.Adverb
(-)Noun
(en noun)- Seymour, sitting in an old corduroy armchair across the room, a cigarette going, wearing a blue shirt, gray slacks, moccasins with the counters broken down, a shaving cut on the side of his face [...].
Etymology 3
From counter- .Verb
(en verb)citation, passage=David Cameron insists that his latest communications data bill is “vital to counter terrorism”. Yet terror is mayhem. It is no threat to freedom. That threat is from counter-terror, from ministers capitulating to securocrats.}}
Adjective
(-)- His carrying a knife was counter to my plan.
- Innumerable facts attesting the counter principle.
Derived terms
* counter agent * counter fugue * counter current * counter revolution * counter poison : See also:Adverb
(-)- running counter to all the rules of virtue
- a hound that runs counter
- This is counter , you false Danish dogs!
- which [darts] they never throw counter , but at the back of the flier
Noun
(en noun)- with kindly counter under mimic shade
Anagrams
* ----contrary
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- contrary winds
- And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me
- We have lost our labour; they are gone a contrary way.
- The doctrine of the earth's motion appeared to be contrary to the sacred Scripture.
- a contrary''' disposition; a '''contrary child
Derived terms
* contrarian * contrarily * contrariwise * contrary toNoun
(contraries)- No contraries hold more antipathy / Than I and such a knave.
- If two universals differ in quality, they are contraries ; as, every vine is a tree; no vine is a tree. These can never be both true together; but they may be both false.