to count without your host
Preserved but no longer current.
See RECKON. Countenance, To. To sanction; to support. Approval or disapproval is shown by the countenance. The Scripture speaks of "the light of God's countenance," i.e. the smile of approbation; and to "hide His face" (or countenance) is to manifest displeasure.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to count without your host” mean?
See RECKON. Countenance, To. To sanction; to support. Approval or disapproval is shown by the countenance. The Scripture speaks of "the light of God's countenance," i.e. the smile of approbation; and to "hide His face" (or countenance) is to manifest displeasure.
Is “to count without your host” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.