Obs. Forms: 4 cuntre, cunter, 5 countire, cowntere, 6 counter. [Aphetic form of acuntre, ACOUNTER, ENCOUNTER.] Encounter, hostile meeting, opposition.

1

c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 38. Tille þei com to mideweie, cuntre non þei fond.

2

c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 1344. Ȝe ne herde neuer, y hope, of so hard a cunter.

3

c. 1400.  Melayne, 238. At the first countire righte The Sarazen slewe oure cristyn knyghte.

4

14[?].  Fencing, in Rel. Ant., I. 308. Thys ys the ferst cowntere of the too hond swerd.

5

1591.  Spenser, Tears of Muses, 207. With kindly counter vnder Mimick shade.

6