Coulomb, koo-lom′, n. the unit of quantity in measuring current electricity: the quantity furnished by a current of one ampere in one second. [From the French physicist, C. A. de Coulomb (1736-1806).]

Coulter. See Colter.

Coumarine, koo′ma-rin, n. a crystalline compound obtained in Tonka beans, &c.—also Cu′marin.—adjs. Cou′maric, Coumaril′ic.

Council, kown′sil, n. an assembly called together for deliberation or advice: the body of men constituting such an assembly: the body of men directing the affairs of the city: an assembly of ecclesiastics met to regulate doctrine or discipline (diocesan, provincial, national, general, or œcumenical).—ns. Coun′cil-board, the board or table round which a council meets for deliberation: the council itself; Coun′cil-cham′ber, the room where a council is held; Coun′cillor, a member of a council, esp. of a common council; Coun′cil-man, a member of a municipal council.—Council of war, a conference of military or naval officers called to meet and consult with the commander.—General council, one called by an invitation to the church at large, also Œcumenical, if received by the Catholic Church in general—as the first seven, 325-787.—In council, in the council-chamber: in giving advice.—Privy-council (see Privy). [Fr. concile—L. concilium.]

Counsel, kown′sel, n. consultation: deliberation: advice: plan: purpose: one who gives counsel, a barrister or advocate.—v.t. to give advice: to warn:—pr.p. coun′selling; pa.p. coun′selled.—n. Coun′sel-keep′er (Shak.), one who can keep counsel or a secret.—adjs. Coun′sel-keep′ing (Shak.), keeping counsel or secrets; Coun′sellable, that may be counselled.—ns. Coun′sellor, one who counsels: a barrister; Coun′sellorship.—Counsel of perfection, a declaration of our Lord's, not absolutely imperative, but commended as the means of reaching greater perfection; Keep counsel, to keep a secret; King's counsel (K.C.), a barrister-at-law appointed by letters-patent—the office is honorary, but gives the right of precedence in all the courts. [Fr. conseil—L. consilium, advice—consulĕre, to consult.]

Count, kownt, n. on the Continent, a title of nobility equal in rank to an English earl:—fem. Count′ess, the wife of a count or earl (fem. of earl).—ns. Count′ship, a count's dignity or domain (also used as a title); Coun′ty, a portion of a country separated for the administration of justice: a shire; Coun′ty-fam′ily, a family of the nobility or gentry (Coun′ty-people), with estates and a seat in the county. [O. Fr. conte—L. comes, comitis, a companion, con, with, īre, itum, to go.]

Count, kownt, v.t. to number, sum up: to ascribe: esteem: consider.—v.i. to add to or increase a number by being counted to it: to depend.—n. act of numbering: the number counted: a particular charge in an indictment.—adj. Count′able, capable of being counted.—ns. Count′er, he who or that which counts: that which indicates a number: a piece of metal, &c., used in reckoning: a table on which money is counted or goods laid; Count′ing-house, Count′ing-room, the house or room in which merchants keep their accounts and transact business.—adj. Count′less, that cannot be counted: innumerable.—n. Count′-wheel, a wheel with notched edge controlling the stroke of a clock in sounding the hours. [O. Fr. cunter (Fr. compter)—L. computāre.]

Countenance, kown′ten-ans, n. the face: the expression of the face: appearance.—v.t. to favour or approve.—n. Coun′tenancer.—Change countenance, to change the expression of the face; His countenance fell, he became dejected or angry; In countenance, unabashed—opp. to Out of countenance. [O. Fr. contenance—L. continentia, restraint, demeanour—L. continēre, to contain.]

Counter, kown′tėr, adv. against: in opposition.—adj. contrary: opposite.—n. that which is counter of opposite: (mus.) the voice-part set in immediate contrast with the air: (fencing) a parry in which one foil follows the other in a small circle: the part of a horse's breast between the shoulders and under the neck: (naut.) the part of a ship between the water-line and the knuckle of the stern.—v.t. Counteract′, to act counter or in opposition to: to hinder or defeat.—n. Counterac′tion.—adj. Counteract′ive, tending to counteract.—n. one who or that which counteracts.—adv. Counteract′ively.—ns. Coun′ter-ag′ent, anything which counteracts; Coun′ter-approach′, a work thrown up outside a besieged place to command or check the approaches of the besieger; Coun′ter-attrac′tion, attraction in an opposite direction.—adj. Coun′ter-attract′ive, attracting in an opposite direction.—v.t. Counterbal′ance, to balance by weight on the opposite side: to act against with equal weight, power, or influence.—ns. Coun′terbalance, an equal weight, power, or agency working in opposition; Coun′terbase (see Contrabass); Coun′ter-batt′ery (mil.), a battery erected to oppose another; Coun′ter-blast, something done in opposition to another thing; Coun′ter-bond, a bond to protect from contingent loss one who has given bond for another.—v.t. Coun′ter-brace (naut.), to brace or fasten (the head-yards and after-yards) in opposite ways.—n. the lee-brace of the fore-topsail-yard.—n. Coun′terbuff, a stroke that stops motion or causes a recoil.—v.t. to drive back by such.—ns. Coun′ter-cast (Spens.), a contrary cast, counterplot, trick; Coun′ter-cast′er (Shak.), one who casts accounts: a book-keeper—used in contempt; Coun′ter-change, (Shak.), exchange, reciprocation.—p.adj. Coun′terchanged′, exchanged: (her.) intermixed or set one against the other, as the colours of the field and charge.—n. Coun′ter-charge, a charge brought forward in opposition to another charge.—v.t. Coun′tercharm, to destroy or dissolve the effects of another charm.—n. that which destroys the effects of another charm.—v.t. Coun′ter-check, to check by some obstacle: to rebuke.—ns. Counter-check′, a check in opposition to another: a rebuke; Counter-claim, kown′tėr-klām, n. a cross-demand brought forward as a partial or complete set-off against another claim.; Coun′ter-curr′ent, a current flowing in an opposite direction; Coun′ter-drain, a drain alongside a canal, &c., to carry off water oozing out.—v.t. Coun′terdraw, to trace on oiled paper or other transparent material.—ns. Coun′ter-ev′idence, evidence brought forward in opposition to other evidence; Coun′terfoil, the corresponding part of a bank cheque, &c., retained by the giver; Coun′ter-force, an opposing force; Coun′ter-fort (fort.), a buttress, or arch behind the revetments or retaining walls of the ditches of permanent fortifications; Coun′ter-gauge, an adjustable scribing gauge for marking the measurements of a mortise on a piece to be tenoned; Coun′ter-guard (fort.), an outwork consisting of two lines of rampart running parallel to the faces of the bastion, to guard the bastion from being breached; Coun′ter-in′fluence, an opposing influence; Coun′ter-irr′itant, an agent or substance applied to the skin so as to redden, to vesicate, or to produce pustules, &c.; Coun′ter-irritā′tion, an artificial irritation produced in one part of the body to act in opposition to and remove already existing irritation; Coun′terlight (paint.), a light opposite to any object, disturbing the effect of its light.—v.i. Coun′termarch, to march back or in a direction contrary to a former one.—n. a marching backward or in a direction different from a former one: (mil.) an evolution by which a body of men change front, and still retain the same men in the front rank: change of measures.—n. Coun′termark, an additional mark put on a bale of goods belonging to several merchants, so that it may not be opened except in the presence of all the owners: a mark put on standard metal by the London Goldsmiths' Company in addition to the artificer's: an artificial cavity made in the teeth of horses to disguise their age.—v.t. Coun′termine, to make a mine in opposition to: to oppose by means of a countermine: (fig.) to frustrate by secret working:—pr.p. countermin′ing; pa.p. countermined′.—ns. Coun′ter-mine (mil.), a mine or chamber excavated by the besieged to counteract or destroy the mines made by the besiegers: (fig.) any means of counteraction; Coun′ter-mō′tion, an opposite motion; Coun′ter-move, -move′ment, a contrary move, movement.—v.t. Coun′termure, to fortify a wall with another wall.—ns. Coun′ter-ō′pening, an aperture or vent on the opposite side, or in a different place; Coun′ter-pace, a step in opposition to another, a contrary measure.—adj. Coun′ter-paled (her.), divided equally, as an escutcheon, first palewise, then by a line fesswise, with two tinctures countercharged.—ns. Coun′ter-parole′, a word in addition to the password; Coun′terpart, the part that answers to another part: that which fits into or completes another, having the qualities which another lacks, and so an opposite.—adj. Coun′ter-pass′ant (her.), denoting two animals in a coat of arms represented as passing each other the contrary way.—n. Coun′terplea, a replication to a plea or request.—v.t. Counterplead′, to plead the contrary of; Coun′terplot′, to plot against in order to frustrate another plot:—pr.p. counterplot′ting; pa.p. counterplot′ted.—n. a plot or stratagem opposed to another plot.—v.t. Coun′terpoise, to poise or weigh against or on the opposite side: to act in opposition to with equal effect.—n. an equally heavy weight in the other scale—(Spens.) Coun′terpoys.—ns. Coun′ter-pois′on, a poison used as the antidote of another; Coun′ter-pres′sure, opposing pressure; Coun′ter-proof, an inverted impression obtained from a newly printed proof of an engraving, by laying it, while the ink is still wet, upon plain paper, and passing it through the press; Coun′ter-revolū′tion, a subsequent revolution counteracting the effect of a previous; Coun′ter-roll, a copy of the rolls relating to appeals, inquests, &c., serving as a check on another's roll; Coun′ter-round, a body of officers which goes to inspect the rounds.—adj. Coun′tersā′lient (her.), salient in opposite directions.—n. Coun′terscarp (fort.), the side of the ditch nearest to the besiegers and opposite to the scarp.—v.t. Counterseal′ (Shak.), to seal along with others.—ns. Coun′ter-secur′ity, security given to one who has become surety for another; Coun′ter-sense, an interpretation contrary to the real sense.—v.t. Countersign′, to sign on the opposite side of a writing: to sign in addition to the signature of a superior, to attest the authenticity of a writing.—ns. Coun′tersign, a military private sign or word, which must be given in order to pass a sentry: a counter-signature; Coun′ter-sig′nal, a signal used as an answer