counter
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To hit back, to exchange blows. A cross COUNTER is a blow with the right hand given in exchange for one with the left, the counterer preferring to strike rather than to "stop" the blow.—Pugilistic.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “counter” mean?
To hit back, to exchange blows. A cross COUNTER is a blow with the right hand given in exchange for one with the left, the counterer preferring to strike rather than to "stop" the blow.—Pugilistic.
Is “counter” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.