vbl. sb. Also compting. [f. COUNT v. + -ING1.]

1

  1.  The action of the verb COUNT, q.v.

2

c. 1380.  Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 65. Ȝif þei ȝeuen benefis to clerkis fore here worldly seruyces … as for kechene clerkis and countyngge or daunsynge.

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c. 1400.  Maundev. (1839), vii. 77. After cowntynge of x. monethes of the ȝeer.

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1686.  Lond. Gaz., 2132/4. The new Serjeants having … performed in the Inner Temple Hall … the Ceremony of Counting, and had their Quoifs put on by the Judges.

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1833.  Ann Reg., 34. If no counting out of the House took place, the House might resume at 5.

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1862.  Sala, Ship Chandler, ii. 22. He’s bullied me about my compting.

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1888.  Bryce, Amer. Commw., II. III. lxv. 488. The election frauds … ballot-stuffing, obstruction of the polls, and fraudulent countings in.

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  † 2.  A ‘company’ (of preachers). Obs.

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1486.  Bk. St. Albans, F vi b. A countyng of prechouris.

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  3.  attrib. and Comb., as counting-art, † -board, -machine, -place; † counting-book, an account-book; † counting-cloth, a cloth for covering a counting-table; † counting-table, (a) a table on which money is counted out, a counter; (b) an abacus; an arithmetical table. Also COUNTING-HOUSE, -ROOM.

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a. 1637.  B. Jonson, Horace’s Art Poetrie, Wks. (Rtldg.), 735. They learne … How to diuide into a hundred parts, A pound … by their long *compting arts.

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c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 98/2. *Cowntynge borde, or table, tapecea, tapeceta.

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15[?].  in Pollard, Miracle Plays, 80. My *countynge boke I wolde make so clere That my rekenynge I sholde not nede to fere.

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1642.  Rogers, Naaman, 295. Some Prentices in the shoppe, have the trust of their Masters counting bookes.

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1480.  Wardr. Acc. Edw. IV. (1830), 170. A yerde and iij quarters grene clothe for half a *counting-clothe [for Exchequer Auditors].

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1889.  Lisbon (Dakota) Star, 11 Jan., 6/1. I have been in four or five of the largest banks in Russia…. The Chinese *counting machine … is everywhere.

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1483.  Cath. Angl., 79. A *Cowntynge place, libratorium.

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1440.  *Counting-table [see counting-board].

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1580.  Hollyband, Treas. Fr. Tong, La Table ou comptoir des changeurs, banquiers ou Argentiers, the marchauntes counting table.

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1616–61.  Holyday, Persius, 298. Nor love I him that counts the counting-table Of deep arithmeticians but a fable.

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