Forms: 4–6 counte, 5 cownte, 7 cownt, 5– count. Also β. 5–6 compte, 6 coumpte, Sc. comp), 5–9 compt. [ME. counte, a. OF. conte, cunte = It. conto:—late L. computum calculation, reckoning, f. computāre to calculate, reckon: see next. The spelling of the F. was refashioned in 14th c., after L., as compte, and this form became frequent also in Eng. from the 15th to the 17th c.]
1. The action or process of counting; a calculation, computation, reckoning.
Out of count: beyond calculation, countless, incalculable. To put one out of count: i.e., out of one’s reckoning. To keep count: to keep up the reckoning of a series of things; so to lose count.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 136. To þe houses of Chartres tuo þousand mark bi counte.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 3614. Mare þan a stanecast at a count be-fore his kniȝtis all.
1530. Palsgr., 209/2. Count, a rekenning, compte.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., II. i. 62. Infinite … because … out of all count.
1609. Bible (Douay), II. 1093. About this time … the count of seventie wekes begane, according to the prophecie of Daniel.
1658. W. Burton, Itin. Anton., 31. The count of all their Journeys through all Italy, beginning at it [the Milliarium aureum].
1768. in Wesley’s Jrnl., 25 May. So many … that they are out of count.
Mod. One box of voting papers was omitted, and a second count will be necessary. I kept count of the meteors till midnight, when they became so numerous that I lost count of them entirely.
β. c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 5029. Ther nys compte ne mesure.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546), P v b. I demaunded then to haue a compte of the people.
a. 1639. Spottiswood, Hist. Ch. Scot., I. (1677), 13. Contrary to the Paschal compts, and Synodal Decrees of the Bishops.
1830. Tennyson, Poems, 109. Thou hast no compt of years.
b. Count-out: the action of ‘counting out’ the House of Commons, or causing its adjournment, when there are fewer than forty members present: see COUNT v. 1 c. Also simply count.
1862. Sat. Rev., 18 Feb., 153. At one time there was imminent risk that the Address of condolence would evaporate in a count-out. Ibid. (1892), 19 March, 315. The evening sitting succumbed to a count at ten o’clock.
2. The numerical result of reckoning; the number reckoned up, the reckoning; the sum total.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 197/3. They moche doubted that they shold not fynde theyr counte ne tale.
1570. Turberv., Disprayse of Woman (R.). Let Creside be in compt and number of the mo.
a. 1632. T. Taylor, God’s Judgem., I. I. xxvii. 103. Among the bed-roll of sinnes … Perjury is one of the count.
a. 1745. Swift, Wks. (1841), II. 121. Which … will by a gross computation, very near double the count.
1832. Tennyson, Dream of Fair Women, 201. Heaven heads the count of crimes with that wild oath.
b. In the measurement of yarns: The number of hanks contained in a pound-weight.
1837. Penny Cycl., VIII. 97/1. (Cotton-spinning) It will be seen that the price of the same count [of yarn] is greater for water twist than for mule twist.
1877. Daily News, 22 Oct., 6/7. According to the present scale, a man who spins fine counts earns much higher wages than the man who spins coarse counts, though the work executed by both sometimes requires equal skill and diligence.
1879. Cassell’s Techn. Educ., IV. 209/1. Yarns are designated according to the count, or number of hanks of 840 yards, in each pound weight.
3. A reckoning as to money or property; a statement of moneys received and expended (esp. by a steward or treasurer); = ACCOUNT sb. 2.
a. 1325. Song Poor Husbandm., in Pol. Songs (Camden), 152. Thus y kippe ant cacche cares ful colde, Seththe y counte ant cot hade to kepe.
1399. Langl., Rich. Redeles, 27. Whane the countis were caste.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. cxv. 137. Jaques Dartuell had … assembled all the reuenewes of Flaunders, without any count gyuen.
1628. Rutherford, Lett., iii. (1862), I. 42. The count of sin ye will not be able to make good before God, except Christ both count and pay for you.
1869. Act 32–3 Vict., c. 116 § 7. The grantee being always bound … to hold count and reckoning with the grantor for the same.
β. c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., VIII. xxiv. 33. Ðe nest compt, þat þat Schyrrawe þare Suld gyue.
a. 1575. Abp. Parker, Corr., 476. In time of visitation and examining the comptes.
1605. Shaks., Macb., I. vi. 26. Your Seruants euer, Haue … what is theirs in compt, To make their Audit at your Highnesse pleasure.
1610. Histrio-m., III. 240. Look, Steward, to your compt.
a. 1764. Lloyd, Fam. Ep., Wks. 1774, II. 62. Robert joins compts with Burnam Black.
4. fig. Account of stewardship, answering for conduct, reckoning; = ACCOUNT sb. 8. arch.
1483. Caxton, Cato, A iv b. To the ende that thou mayst gyue counte whan thou shalt be required.
1552. Lyndesay, Tragedie, 304. Ȝe sall be callit to ȝour count Off euerilk thyng belanging to ȝour curis.
1598. Yong, Diana, 169. I doe wish, that Loue may take A narrow count of thee heereafter.
1848. Kingsley, Saint’s Trag., II. vi. Till I shall render Count of the precious charge.
β. 1508. Fisher, Wks. (1876), 179. Yf the clergy lyue desolately in maner as they shold gyue no compte of theyr lyf past.
1556. Lauder, Dewtie of Kyngis, 47. Kyngs sall geue ane compt tharefore In presens of the kyng of glore.
1604. Shaks., Oth., V. ii. 273. When we shall meete at compt, This looke of thine will hurle my Soule from Heauen.
1861. Ld. Lytton & J. Fane, Tannhäuser, 66. Oh, if it be against high Heaven, to Heaven Remit the compt!
5. a. Estimation, esteem, consideration; b. The act or way of estimating or regarding; estimate, regard, notice, note; ACCOUNT sb. 11–14; esp. in phr. to take, make, set (no) count of (upon, by). arch.
1475. Bk. Noblesse, 31. They set no count ne prise of it.
1529. More, Comf. agst. Trib., III. Wks. 1239/1. Though in the compt of the world it seme to come by chaunce of warre.
1555. Fardle Facions, I. vi. 100. Thei … make compte of their wiues and their children in commune.
1570. Ascham, Scholem. (Arb.), 82. They make no counte of generall councels.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., IV. x. 18. Some other, that in hard assaies Were cowards knowne, and little count did hold.
1647. [see sense 6].
1823. Lamb, Elia (1860), 45. In proportion as the years both lessen and shorten, I set more count upon their periods.
1833. Mrs. Browning, Prometh. Bd., Poems 1850, I. 150. Of miserable men, he took no count.
1856. Ruskin, Mod. Paint., III. IV. xiv. § 37. It has missed count of exactly the most important fact.
1884. Marq. Salisbury, in Times, 4 Oct., 10/1. Ireland may be left out of count.
β. 1484. Caxton, Curiall, 4. The courte maketh ouer moche compte of thys fortune.
1560. Whitehorne, Arte of Warre (1573), 49 b. A good Capitayne … ought not to make a coumpte of hurte that is particular.
1839–48. Bailey, Festus, Proem. He makes no mention, takes no compt of them.
¶ c. The pl. counts (compts) was sometimes used as singular, in senses 4, 5. (A countes for acountes: cf. ACCOUNT sb. 9.) Obs.
c. 1450. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 569/33. Calculus, a cowntes.
c. 1510. Barclay, Mirr. Gd. Manners (1570), B iv. On this countes man specially should muse.
1526. Tindale, Luke xvi. 2. Geve a comptes off thy Steward shippe.
† 6. With upon, on: Consideration, cause, reason; = ACCOUNT sb. 4 a. Obs. rare.
1647. H. More, Song of Soul, I. II. cxiii. [They] count themselves His onely choice Ofspring Upon no count but that their count is so.
1817. Mar. Edgeworth, Ormond, i. (1832), 15. Lady O’Shane grew restless on another count.
† 7. Narration, tale, story; = ACCOUNT sb. 16.
c. 1477. Caxton, Jason, 5 b. What shal I make you long compte.
c. 1500. Melusine, 203. What shuld preuayll you long compte.
8. Law. Each particular charge in a declaration or indictment; also, in a real action, used for the whole declaration: see COUNT v. 11.
1588. Fraunce, Lawiers Log., I. ii. 10. In every count, barre, replication, rejoynder, [etc.].
1602. Shaks., Ham., IV. vii. 18. The other Motiue Why to a publike count I might not go.
1607–72. Cowell, Interpr., Count signifieth as much as the original Declaration in a Processe, though more used in real then personal Actions.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., III. 293. The declaration, narratio, or count, antiently called the tale; in which the plaintiff sets forth his cause of complaint at length.
1851. Ht. Martineau, Hist. Peace (1877), III. IV. ix. 21. O’Connell and his comrades pleaded guilty to the first fourteen counts in the indictment.
1888. Bryce, Amer. Commw., III. xciv. 307. The indictment fails on this count also.
9. attrib. and Comb., as † count-book, an account-book, a note-book; † count-caster, a caster of accounts, a calculator; to count-free a. or adv., without giving an account; † count-maker, one who ‘makes count of’ or estimates; † count-making, rendering account; count-wheel, the wheel regulating the striking in some clocks.
1605. B. Jonson, Volpone, V. i. Get thee a cap, a *count-book, pen and ink, Papers afore thee.
1670–98. Lassels, Voy. Italy, I. 144. No man reproaches unto them the way they took to come thither, whether … by the school-book or the count-book.
1573. G. Harvey, Letter-bk. (1884), 163. Everi schollar must make his reckning to be … a wise *count-kaster.
1633. T. Adams, Exp. 2 Peter iii. 3. One text [Acts i. 7] … hath bred the gout in the fingers of all our Pythagorean Count-casters.
1644. Prynne, Check to Britannicus, 7. To be forced to give in a speedy account, of all the vast summes of monies … received by him … that so he may not escape *Count-free.
1553. Grimalde, Cicero’s Offices (1556), 24. That we may be good *countmakers of duties.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 260. Geve us accompt of the great treasure of Flaundyrs which ye have governed so long without *compt making.
1647. J. Carter, Nail & Wheel, 85. That which the *count-wheel doth in the Clock; tell the hours.
1884. F. J. Britten, Watch & Clockm., 156. [A] Count Wheel … [is] a circular plate with notches in the edges at distances corresponding to the hours struck, used in striking work of a kind rarely made except for turret clocks.
