The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Speed counter \Speed counter\ (Mach.)
   A device for automatically counting the revolutions or
   pulsations of an engine or other machine; -- called also
   simply counter.
   [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Counter \Coun"ter\, n. [OE. countour, OF. contouer, comptouer,
   F. comptoir, LL. computatorium, prop., a computing place,
   place of accounts, fr. L. computare. See Count, v. t.]
   A table or board on which money is counted and over which
   business is transacted; a long, narrow table or bench, on
   which goods are laid for examination by purchasers, or on
   which they are weighed or measured.
   [1913 Webster]

   Over the counter
   (a) (Stock Exchanges), in an office; -- said of business so
       done, as distinguished from that done at an exchange.
       [Cant]
   (a) without a prescription; needing no prescription; -- said
       of medicines that can be legally bought without a
       physician's prescription.
       [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Counter- \Coun"ter-\ (koun"t[~e]r-).

   Note: [See Counter, adv. ]
   A prefix meaning contrary, opposite, in opposition; as,
   counteract, counterbalance, countercheck. See Counter, adv.
   & a.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Counter \Count"er\ (koun"t[~e]r), n. [OE. countere, countour, a
   counter (in sense 1), OF. contere, conteor, fr. conter to
   count. See Count, v. t. ]
   1. One who counts, or reckons up; a calculator; a reckoner.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. A piece of metal, ivory, wood, or bone, used in reckoning,
      in keeping account of games, etc.
      [1913 Webster]

            The old gods of our own race whose names . . . serve
            as counters reckon the days of the week. --E. B.
                                                  Tylor.
      [1913 Webster]

            What comes the wool to? . . . I can not do it
            without counters.                     --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. Money; coin; -- used in contempt. [Obs.]
      [1913 Webster]

            To lock such rascal counters from his friends.
                                                  --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. A prison; either of two prisons formerly in London.
      [1913 Webster]

            Anne Aysavugh . . . imprisoned in the Counter.
                                                  --Fuller.
      [1913 Webster]

   5. A telltale; a contrivance attached to an engine, printing
      press, or other machine, for the purpose of counting the
      revolutions or the pulsations. --Knight.
      [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Counter \Coun"ter\, adv. [F. contre, fr. L. contra against. Cf.
   Contra-.]
   1. Contrary; in opposition; in an opposite direction;
      contrariwise; -- used chiefly with run or go.
      [1913 Webster]

            Running counter to all the rules of virtue. --Locks.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. In the wrong way; contrary to the right course; as, a
      hound that runs counter.
      [1913 Webster]

            This is counter, you false Danish dogs! --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. At or against the front or face. [R.]
      [1913 Webster]

            Which [darts] they never throw counter, but at the
            back of the flier.                    --Sandys.
      [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Counter \Coun"ter\, a.
   Contrary; opposite; contrasted; opposed; adverse;
   antagonistic; as, a counter current; a counter revolution; a
   counter poison; a counter agent; counter fugue. "Innumerable
   facts attesting the counter principle." --I. Taylor.
   [1913 Webster]

   Counter approach (Fort.), a trench or work pushed forward
      from defensive works to meet the approaches of besiegers.
      See Approach.

   Counter bond (Law), in old practice, a bond to secure one
      who has given bond for another.

   Counter brace. See Counter brace, in Vocabulary.

   Counter deed (Law), a secret writing which destroys,
      invalidates, or alters, a public deed.

   Counter distinction, contradistinction. [Obs.]

   Counter drain, a drain at the foot of the embankment of a
      canal or watercourse, for carrying off the water that may
      soak through.

   Counter extension (Surg.), the fixation of the upper part
      of a limb, while extension is practiced on the lower part,
      as in cases of luxation or fracture.

   Counter fissure (Surg.) Same as Contrafissure.

   Counter indication. (Med.) Same as Contraindication.

   Counter irritant (Med.), an irritant to produce a blister,
      a pustular eruption, or other irritation in some part of
      the body, in order to relieve an existing irritation in
      some other part. "Counter irritants are of as great use in
      moral as in physical diseases." --Macaulay.

   Counter irritation (Med.), the act or the result of
      applying a counter irritant.

   Counter opening, an aperture or vent on the opposite side,
      or in a different place.

   Counter parole (Mil.), a word in addition to the password,
      given in time of alarm as a signal.

   Counter plea (Law), a replication to a plea. --Cowell.

   Counter pressure, force or pressure that acts in a contrary
      direction to some other opposing pressure.

   Counter project, a project, scheme, or proposal brought
      forward in opposition to another, as in the negotiation of
      a treaty. --Swift.

   Counter proof, in engraving, a print taken off from another
      just printed, which, by being passed through the press,
      gives a copy in reverse, and of course in the same
      position as that of plate from which the first was
      printed, the object being to enable the engraver to
      inspect the state of the plate.

   Counter revolution, a revolution opposed to a former one,
      and restoring a former state of things.

   Counter revolutionist, one engaged in, or befriending, a
      counter revolution.

   Counter round (Mil.), a body of officers whose duty it is
      to visit and inspect the rounds and sentinels.

   Counter sea (Naut.), a sea running in an opposite direction
      from the wind.

   Counter sense, opposite meaning.

   Counter signal, a signal to answer or correspond to
      another.

   Counter signature, the name of a secretary or other officer
      countersigned to a writing. --Tooke.

   Counter slope, an overhanging slope; as, a wall with a
      counter slope. --Mahan.

   Counter statement, a statement made in opposition to, or
      denial of, another statement.

   Counter surety, a counter bond, or a surety to secure one
      who has given security.

   Counter tally, a tally corresponding to another.

   Counter tide, contrary tide.
      [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Counter \Coun"ter\, n. [See Counter, adv., Contra.]
   1. (Naut.) The after part of a vessel's body, from the water
      line to the stern, -- below and somewhat forward of the
      stern proper.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. (Mus.) Same as Contra. Formerly used to designate any
      under part which served for contrast to a principal part,
      but now used as equivalent to counter tenor.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. (Far.) The breast, or that part of a horse between the
      shoulders and under the neck.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. The back leather or heel part of a boot.
      [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Counter \Coun"ter\ (koun"t?r), n.
   An encounter. [Obs.]
   [1913 Webster]

         With kindly counter under mimic shade.   --Spenser.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Counter \Coun"ter\, v. i. (Boxing)
   To return a blow while receiving one, as in boxing.
   [1913 Webster]

         His left hand countered provokingly.     --C. Kingsley.
   [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

counter
    adv 1: in the opposite direction; "run counter"
    adj 1: indicating opposition or resistance [syn: antagonistic,
           counter]
    n 1: table consisting of a horizontal surface over which
         business is transacted
    2: game equipment (as a piece of wood, plastic, or ivory) used
       for keeping a count or reserving a space in various card or
       board games
    3: a calculator that keeps a record of the number of times
       something happens [syn: counter, tabulator]
    4: a piece of furniture that stands at the side of a dining
       room; has shelves and drawers [syn: buffet, counter,
       sideboard]
    5: a person who counts things
    6: a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or
       critical one); "it brought a sharp rejoinder from the
       teacher" [syn: rejoinder, retort, return, riposte,
       replication, comeback, counter]
    7: (computer science) a register whose contents go through a
       regular series of states (usually states indicating
       consecutive integers)
    8: a piece of leather forming the back of a shoe or boot; "a
       counter may be used to stiffen the material around the heel
       and to give support to the foot" [syn: counter, heel
       counter]
    9: a return punch (especially by a boxer) [syn: counterpunch,
       parry, counter]
    v 1: speak in response; "He countered with some very persuasive
         arguments"
    2: act in advance of; deal with ahead of time [syn:
       anticipate, foresee, forestall, counter]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

451 Moby Thesaurus words for "counter":
   Geiger counter, Wilson chamber, X-ray spectrograph,
   X-ray spectrometer, abjure, adversary, adversative, adverse,
   adversive, advocate, against the grain, against the tide,
   against the wind, agree to disagree, alien, allege in support,
   alpha pulse analyzer, ambo, answer, antagonistic, antagonize, anti,
   antipathetic, antipodal, antipode, antipodean, antipodes, antipole,
   antithesis, antithetic, antithetical, antonym, antonymous,
   argue for, ascender, assert, assert the contrary,
   at cross-purposes, at daggers, at daggers drawn, at issue, at odds,
   at opposite extremes, at variance, at war with, athwart,
   atom counter, atom-tagger, back, back to back, backward, baffle,
   baggage check, balancing, balk, bar, bastard type, be antipathetic,
   be at cross-purposes, be inimical, be opposed to, beard,
   beat against, beat off, belie, belly, bench, bevel, black letter,
   blast, block, board, body, boomerang, boron counter, brave, break,
   break off, buffet, cap, capital, case, challenge, champion, check,
   checkmate, chip, circumvent, clash, clashing, cloud chamber,
   collide, come back at, comeback, compensating, competitive, con,
   conflict, conflict with, conflicting, confound, confront,
   confronting, confute, contend for, contest, contra, contradict,
   contradictory, contradistinct, contrapose, contrapositive,
   contrarious, contrariwise, contrary, contrast with, contrasted,
   contrasting, contravene, controvert, converse, cosmic ray counter,
   counteract, counteractive, counterattack, counterbalance,
   counterbalancing, counterblast, counterblow, countercheck,
   countermand, counterpoint, counterpoise, counterpoised,
   counterpole, counterpose, counterstroke, counterterm, countervail,
   countervailing, counterwork, counting tube, coupon, cross, dash,
   dead against, defeat, defend, defy, deny, descender, desk, destroy,
   detrimental, differ, different, difficult, disaccord, disaccordant,
   disaffirm, disagree, disallow, disavow, disc, disclaim, discomfit,
   disconcert, discordant, discountenance, discrepant, dish, disown,
   disparate, disprove, dispute, disrupt, dissent, dissentient,
   dissimilar, divergent, diverse, drive back, electronic counter,
   elude, em, en, enemy, escritoire, espouse, exchange,
   expansion chamber, eyeball to eyeball, eyeball-to-eyeball, face,
   face to face, fantail, fat-faced type, feet, fend, fend off,
   flummox, foil, font, forswear, fractious, frustrate, gainsay,
   gamma ray counter, get back at, give and take, give in exchange,
   give in return, give-and-take, go against, go counter to, groove,
   hard, hardly like, harmful, hat check, heavy particle counter,
   heel, hinder, hindering, hit back at, hold at bay, hold off,
   hostile, impeding, impugn, in confrontation, in hostile array,
   in opposition, inconsistent, inimical, interchange, interfere with,
   inverse, ion counter, ionization chamber, ionizing event, italic,
   jangle, jar, join issue upon, join the opposition, jostle,
   just opposite, juxtapose in opposition, keep at bay, keep off,
   knock the chocks, lectern, letter, ligature, lock horns, logotype,
   lower case, maintain, majuscule, make a plea, marker, match,
   meet head-on, militate against, minuscule, miserable, mismatch,
   mismate, negate, negative, nick, noncooperative, nonplus,
   nonuniform, nose to nose, not abide, not accept, not admit,
   not easy, notions counter, nullify, object, obstinate, obstruct,
   obstructive, obverse, odd, off, offbeat, offset, opponent, oppose,
   opposed, opposing, opposite, opposite number, oppositional,
   oppositive, oppugn, oppugnant, out, overthwart, parry,
   particle counter, perplex, perverse, pi, pica, piece, pit,
   play at cross-purposes, plead for, point, polar, poles apart, poop,
   print, protest, push back, pushcart, put back, radiodetector,
   rebuff, rebut, recalcitrant, recant, reciprocate, reciprocation,
   recoil, reflex, refractory, refuse to admit, refute, renounce,
   repel, reply, repudiate, repugnant, repulse, resist, respond,
   retaliate, retaliation, retort, retract, return, reverse, reversed,
   revoke, rigorous, riposte, rival, roman, rudderpost, ruin,
   run against, run counter to, sabotage, sans serif, say in defense,
   scarcely like, scotch, scrip, script, secretaire, secretary,
   set off, setoff, shank, shopboard, shoulder, showcase, sinister,
   slug, small cap, small capital, speak for, speak up for, spike,
   spoil, squared off, stamp, stand, stand up for, stave off, stem,
   stern, stick up for, stop, stressful, strike back, stump, support,
   sustain, swim upstream, table, tag, tail end, take back,
   take issue with, the contrary, the other side, thwart, ticket,
   token, traverse, troublesome, troublous, trying, tube counter,
   turn aside, turned around, type, type body, type class, type lice,
   typecase, typeface, typefounders, typefoundry, unalike,
   uncooperative, unfavorable, unfriendly, unidentical, unlike,
   unmatched, unpropitious, unresembling, unsame, unsimilar, untoward,
   up in arms, uphold, upper case, upset, urge reasons for, vary, vie,
   vis-a-vis, vote against, ward off, with crossed bayonets,
   withstand, work against, workbench, wretched, writing table,
   wrong-way, wrong-way around



Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

COUNTER, Eng. law. The name of an ancient prison in the city of London,
which has now been demolished.