COUNTER, a term which enters into the composition of various words of our language, and generally implies opposition, but when applied to deeds means an exact copy kept by the contrary party, and sometimes signed by both parties.

Counter- Changed, in Heraldry, the intermixture or opposition of a metal with a colour.

COUNTER-Flory, in Heraldry, is said of a tressure the fleurs-de-lis of which are opposite to others.

COUNTER-Drawing, in Painting, is the copying a design or painting by means of a fine linen cloth, an oiled paper, or other transparent matter, where the strokes appearing through are traced with a pencil with or without colour. Sometimes it is done on glass, and with frames or nets divided into* squares by means of silk or thread, and also with instruments invented for the purpose, as the parallelogram.

CouNTER-Ermine, in Heraldry, is the contrary of ermine, being a black field with white spots.

Counter- Poil, or Counter-Stoch, in the exchequer, that part of a tally which is kept by an officer of the court.

Counter- Guard, or Counter-Guards, in Fortification, are small ramparts with parapets and ditches to cover some part of the body of the place. They are of several shapes, and differently situated; but they are generally formed before the bastions, in order to cover the opposite flanks from being seen from the covert way, and then they consist of two faces making a salient angle, and parallel to the faces of the bastion. They are sometimes constructed before the ravelins.

CoUNTER-Light, or Counter-Jour, a light opposite to any thing which makes it appear to disadvantage. A single counter-light is sufficient to take away all the beauty of a fine painting.

Counter- March, in military affairs, a change by wings, companies, subdivisions, or files, by which those who were on the right take up the ground originally occupied by the left, and vice versa. It also signifies returning or marching back again.

COUNTER-Mine, in War, a well and gallery driven and sunk until it meet the enemy’s mine, in ordcr to prevent its effect.

COUNTER-Paled, in Heraldry, is when the escutcheon is divided into twelve pales parted per fesse; the two colours being counter-changed, so that the upper are of one colour and the lower of another.

CoUNTER-Part, in Music, denotes one part to be applied to another. Thus the bass is said to be a counter-part to the treble.

Counter- Passant, in Heraldry, is when two lions are in a coat of arms, and the one seems to proceed quite the contrary way to the other.

CouNTER-Point, in Mzisic, a term derived from the Latin preposition contra and the verb pungere ; because the musical characters by which the notes in each part are signified are placed in such a manner, each with respect to each, as to show how the parts answer to one another.

Counter- Pointed, in Heraldry, is when two chevrons in one escutcheon meet in the points, the one rising as usual from the base, and the other inverted falling from the chief, so that they are counter to each other in the points. They may also be counter-pointed when they are founded upon the sides of the shield, and the points meet that way. This is called counter-pointed in fesse. Counter- Proof, in rolling-press printing, a print taken off from another fresh printed, which by being passed through the press gives the figure of the former, but inverted. To counter-prove is also to pass a design in black lead or red chalk through the press, after having moistened with a sponge both that and the paper on which the counter-proof is to be taken.

Counter- Quartered (contre-ecartele), in Heraldry, denotes that the escutcheon, after being quartered, has each quarter again divided into two.

Counter- Salient is when two beasts are borne in a coat leaping from each other directly contrariwise.

Counterscarp, in Fortification, is properly the exterior talus or slope of the ditch on the further side of the place, and facing it; but it is often taken for the covered way and the glacis. In this sense we say the enemy have lodged themselves in the counterscarp. The angle of the counterscarp is that formed by two sides of the counterscarp meeting before the middle of the curtain.
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Countersigning, the signing the writing of a superior in quality of secretary. Thus charters are signed by the king, and countersigned by a secretary of state or lord chancellor.

Counter- Time, in the manege, is the defence or resistance of a horse that interrupts his cadence and the measure of his manege, occasioned either by a bad horseman or by the malice of a horse.