Also 5–6 countyr-, countre-, conter-, contre-, (Sc.) contra-, 5–7 -maund(e. [a. OF. contremander (13th c. in Littré) = med.L. and OIt. contramandāre, f. L. contrā against, counter + mandāre to command, order.]
I. To revoke or annul a command.
1. trans. To command or order the opposite of (a previous command or order); to revoke, recall, reverse, annul by a contrary command.
c. 1440. Compl., in Lydg., Temp. Glas, 63. Sythe that she wele me nat comaunde Nor hyre centence countyrmaunde.
1553. Act 7 Edw. VI., c. 1 § 13. Warrants … not lawfully countermanded nor revoked.
1642. J. M[arsh], Argt. conc. Militia, 36. The King can no more countermand their judgement [sc. of Parliament].
1677. Horneck, Gt. Law Consid., v. (1704), 241. To declare his will to day, and countermand it to morrow.
1840. Macaulay, Clive, 43. He ordered his army to march against the English. He countermanded his orders.
1892. Law Times, 145/2. Had it been possible to countermand the invitations the gathering would not have taken place.
† 2. To command (a person to do something, or that something be done) in contradiction or reversal of a previous command. Obs.
1430. Lydg., Chron. Troy, III. xxvii. Pryamus … To worthy Hector repayred is agayne Hym contermaundyng that he ne shuld gone, Thilke day to fyght.
a. 1470. Tiptoft, Caesar, xii. (1530), 14. But Cesar countermaunded that they shuld no ferther folow.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. xxviii. 42. He countermaunded his offycers to sease of makyng of any farther prouision, tyll he knewe more.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 336. The Maior countermaunded not to stirre that night. [The Mayor had before ‘counsayled … that in the night tyme they should have issued out of the Tower’].
3. To recall by a contrary order, to order back (a person, forces).
1464. Paston Lett., No. 490, II. 160. All the jentylmen … that went uppe to the kyng ar contrmaundyd, and ar com home ageyn.
1494. Fabyan, Chron., VII. ccxlv. 288. Than the Oryflambe, which was passed ye brydge, was countermaunded.
1531. Elyot, Gov., III. x. They were at the laste constrained to countermaunde him by sondrie messangers.
1646. Fuller, Wounded Consc. (1649), 127–8. Surely many a despairing soule groaning out his last breath, with fear and thought to sinke down to hell, hath presently beene countermanded by Gods goodnesse to eternall happinesse.
1766. Goldsm., Vic. W., xxviii. Our regiment is countermanded.
1839. Thirlwall, Greece, III. 351. They countermanded the reinforcements which were coming up from the north.
4. To stop or prohibit (what has been commanded, ordered or allowed), by a contrary command or order; to revoke an order for (goods, etc.).
1552. Lyndesay, Monarche, 5160. Wysedome may nocht contramand, Nor strenth that stoure may nocht ganestand!
1570–6. Lambarde, Peramb. Kent (1826), 285. The Archbishops building was countermaunded, and hee … constrained to cease the worke.
1622. Malynes, Anc. Law-Merch., 406. Neither may A. B. countermand the payment of the thousand Ducats at Venice.
1628. Wither, Brit. Rememb., III. 322. Such Reasons, my departure countermanding.
1727. Swift, What passed in London. Three of the maids of honour sent to countermand their birth-day cloaths.
1811. L. M. Hawkins, C’tess & Gertr., I. 127. Bespeaking and countermanding carriages.
1844. Thirlwall, Greece, VIII. lxii. 194. He … countermanded the movement.
† b. To prohibit (a person, etc.) to do, or from doing, a thing previously commanded. Obs.
1548. Hall, Chron., 25. He was by the French kyng and his councell … countermaunded & prohibited farther to procede.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett. (1650), I. 158. A new commission … countermanding him to deliver the proxy aforesaid, until a full and absolute satisfaction were had.
1696. Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), IV. 47. Our fleet … being countermanded from sailing westward.
II. To go counter to, forbid, counteract, control.
† 5. To go counter to or oppose the command of (a person or authority). Also fig. Obs.
1590. Marlowe, Edw. II., III. iii. Proud rebels that … confront and countermand their king.
1592. Daniel, Compl. Rosamond, Wks. (1717), 42. The Privilege of Beauty, That it had Power to countermand all Duty.
1615. T. Adams, Leaven, 119. Drowning Moses shall come to countermand a monarch.
1662. Fuller, Worthies (1840), II. 553. The … miracles … never countermanded nature in this kind, by recruiting the strength of an aged person.
† 6. To give command against, forbid, prohibit. Obs.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., IV. ii. 37. A back friend, a shoulder-clapper, one that countermands The passages of allies, creekes, and narrow lands.
1623. Lisle, Ælfric on O. & N. Test., Ded. 10. By staying wars, and countermanding vices.
1666. G. Harvey, Morb. Angl., 125 (J). Avicen countermands letting blood in cholerick bodies.
† 7. fig. To counteract; to frustrate; to counterbalance. Obs.
1645. Fuller, Good Th. in Bad T., 195. Who … to countermand the healing power of lead, first found the champing and impoisoning of bullets!
1649. Jer. Taylor, Gt. Exemp., III. xvi. 56. A charm to countermand Witches.
1711. Milit. & Sea Dict., s.v. Sail, Ships … must have one After-Sail, and another Head-Sail, to countermand one another.
† 8. To control, keep under command. Obs.
1586. Marlowe, 1st Pt. Tamburl., III. i. And all the sea my galleys countermand.
1596–7. S. Finche, in Ducarel, Hist. Croydon (1783), 155. The ynner trenche which doth countermaunde those other.
1654. trans. Scudery’s Curia Pol., 100. Countermanding our naturall affection with reason.
III. intr. or absol.
9. To give a command contrary to a previous one; to revoke (one’s own) or contravene (another’s) command.
a. 1529. Skelton, Image Hypocr., Wks. II. 190. Where God doth commaunde He doth countermaunde.
Hence Countermanding ppl. a.
1677. Gilpin, Dæmonol. (1867), 467. Where no countermanding law is owned, there can be no irritating restraint.
