sb. Obs. [ad. It. contrafronte ‘a spurre or the inner part of a bulwarke’ (Florio, 1598). Cf. OF. contrefront part opposite the front (15th c. in Godefroy). See also CONTRAFRONT.]
a. Fortif. A spur; = CONTRAFRONT. b. The rear face (of a pier or the like).
1622. F. Markham, Bk. War, IV. iii. 133. The Orechion which is the guard or shoulder of the Bulwark, the Curtaine which is the front, the Counterfront which are the Spurrs.
1730. A. Gordon, Maffei’s Amphith., 220. The Counter-front is something less than an Inch [narrower].
Hence † Counterfront v.
1611. Florio, Contrafrontáre, to counterfront.
