Part 596

Of blessed saints for to increase the count. Spenser.

By this count, I shall be much in years. Shak.

2. An object of interest or account; value; estimation. [Obs.] "All his care and count." Spenser.

3. (Law) A formal statement of the plaintiff's case in court; in a more technical and correct sense, a particular allegation or charge in a declaration or indictment, separately setting forth the cause of action or prosecution. Wharton.

&fist; In the old law books, count was used synonymously with declaration. When the plaintiff has but a single cause of action, and makes but one statement of it, that statement is called indifferently count or declaration, most generally, however, the latter. But where the suit embraces several causes, or the plaintiff makes several different statements of the same cause of action, each statement is called a count, and all of them combined, a declaration. Bouvier. Wharton.

Count, n. [F. conte, fr. L. comes, comitis, associate, companion, one of the imperial court or train, properly, one who goes with another; com- + ire to go, akin to Skr. i to go.] A nobleman on the continent of Europe, equal in rank to an English earl.

&fist; Though the tittle Count has never been introduced into Britain, the wives of Earls have, from the earliest period of its history, been designated as Countesses. Brande & C.

Count palatine. (a) Formerly, the proprietor of a county who possessed royal prerogatives within his county, as did the Earl of Chester, the Bishop of Durham, and the Duke of Lancaster. [Eng.] See County palatine, under County. (b) Originally, a high judicial officer of the German emperors; afterward, the holder of a fief, to whom was granted the right to exercise certain imperial powers within his own domains. [Germany]

Count"a*ble (-?-b'l), a. Capable of being numbered.

Coun"te*nance (koun"t&esl;*nans), n. [OE. contenance, countenaunce, demeanor, composure, F. contenance demeanor, fr. L. continentia continence, LL. also, demeanor, fr. L. continere to hold together, repress, contain. See Contain, and cf. Continence.] 1. Appearance or expression of the face; look; aspect; mien.

So spake the Son, and into terror changed His countenance. Milton.

2. The face; the features.

In countenance somewhat doth resemble you. Shak.

3. Approving or encouraging aspect of face; hence, favor, good will, support; aid; encouragement.

Thou hast made him . . . glad with thy countenance. Ps. xxi. 6.

This is the magistrate's peculiar province, to give countenance to piety and virtue, and to rebuke vice. Atterbury.

4. Superficial appearance; show; pretense. [Obs.]

The election being done, he made countenance of great discontent thereat. Ascham.

In countenance, in an assured condition or aspect; free from shame or dismay. "It puts the learned in countenance, and gives them a place among the fashionable part of mankind." Addison. -- Out of countenance, not bold or assured; confounded; abashed. "Their best friends were out of countenance, because they found that the imputations . . . were well grounded." Clarendon. -- To keep the countenance, to preserve a composed or natural look, undisturbed by passion or emotion. Swift.

Coun"te*nance (koun"t?-nans), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Countenanced (-nanst); p. pr. & vb. n. Countenancing.] 1. To encourage; to favor; to approve; to aid; to abet.

This conceit, though countenanced by learned men, is not made out either by experience or reason. Sir T. Browne.

Error supports custom, custom countenances error. Milton.

2. To make a show of; to pretend. [Obs.]

Which to these ladies love did countenance. Spenser.

Coun"te*nan*cer (-nan-s?r), n. One who countenances, favors, or supports.

Coun"ter (koun"t?r-). [See Counter, adv. ] A prefix meaning contrary, opposite, in opposition; as, counteract, counterbalance, countercheck. See Counter, adv. & a.

Count"er (koun"t?r), n. [OE. countere, countour, a counter (in sense 1), OF. contere, conteor, fr. conter to count. See Count, v. t. ] 1. One who counts, or reckons up; a calculator; a reckoner.

2. A piece of metal, ivory, wood, or bone, used in reckoning, in keeping account of games, etc.