Part 606

2. Destitute of refinement; rude; unpolished; rustic; not urbane; as, country manners.

3. Pertaining, or peculiar, to one's own country.

She, bowing herself towards him, laughing the cruel tyrant to scorn, spake in her country language. 2 Macc. vii. 27.

Coun"try-base` (-b?s`), n. Same as Prison base.

Coun"try-dance` (-d?ns`), n. [Prob. an adaptation of contradance.] See Contradance.

He had introduced the English country-dance to the knowledge of the Dutch ladies. Macaulay.

Coun"try*man (kŭn"tr&ibreve;-man), n.; pl. Countrymen (- men). 1. An inhabitant or native of a region. Shak.

2. One born in the same country with another; a compatriot; -- used with a possessive pronoun.

In perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen. 2 Cor. xi. 26.

3. One who dwells in the country, as distinguished from a townsman or an inhabitant of a city; a rustic; a husbandman or farmer.

A simple countryman that brought her figs. Shak.

Coun"try seat` (k?n"tr? s?t`). A dwelling in the country, used as a place of retirement from the city.

Coun"try*side` (-s?d`), n. A particular rural district; a country neighborhood. [Eng.] W. Black. Blackmore.

Coun"try*wom`an (-w??m`an), n.; pl. Countrywomen (-w&?;m`&?;n). A woman born, or dwelling, in the country, as opposed to the city; a woman born or dwelling in the same country with another native or inhabitant. Shak.

Count"-wheel` (kount"hw?l`), n. The wheel in a clock which regulates the number of strokes.

Coun"ty (koun"t?), n.; pl. Counties (-t&?;z). [F. comt&?;, fr. LL. comitatus. See Count.] 1. An earldom; the domain of a count or earl. [Obs.]

2. A circuit or particular portion of a state or kingdom, separated from the rest of the territory, for certain purposes in the administration of justice and public affairs; -- called also a shire. See Shire.

Every county, every town, every family, was in agitation. Macaulay.

3. A count; an earl or lord. [Obs.] Shak.

County commissioners. See Commissioner. -- County corporate, a city or town having the privilege to be a county by itself, and to be governed by its own sheriffs and other magistrates, irrespective of the officers of the county in which it is situated; as London, York, Bristol, etc. [Eng.] Mozley & W. -- County court, a court whose jurisdiction is limited to county. -- County palatine, a county distinguished by particular privileges; -- so called a palatio (from the palace), because the owner had originally royal powers, or the same powers, in the administration of justice, as the king had in his palace; but these powers are now abridged. The counties palatine, in England, are Lancaster, Chester, and Durham. -- County rates, rates levied upon the county, and collected by the boards of guardians, for the purpose of defraying the expenses to which counties are liable, such as repairing bridges, jails, etc. [Eng.] -- County seat, a county town. [U.S.] -- County sessions, the general quarter sessions of the peace for each county, held four times a year. [Eng.] -- County town, the town of a county, where the county business is transacted; a shire town.

||Coup (k??), n. [F., fr.L. colaphus a cuff, Gr. &?;&?;&?;&?;.] A sudden stroke; an unexpected device or stratagem; -- a term used in various ways to convey the idea of promptness and force.

Coup de grace (k&?;&?;" de gr&?;s") [F.], the stroke of mercy with which an executioner ends by death the sufferings of the condemned; hence, a decisive, finishing stroke. -- Coup de main (k&?;&?;` de m&?;n`) [F.] (Mil.), a sudden and unexpected movement or attack. -- Coup de soleil (k&?;&?;` d s&?;-l&?;l or -l&?;"y') [F.] (Med.), a sunstroke. See Sunstroke. -- Coup d'Útat (k&?;&?;" d&?;-t&?;") [F.] (Politics), a sudden, decisive exercise of power whereby the existing government is subverted without the consent of the people; an unexpected measure of state, more or less violent; a stroke of policy. -- Coup d'ťil (k&oomac;` d&etilde;l"). [F.] (a) A single view; a rapid glance of the eye; a comprehensive view of a scene; as much as can be seen at one view. (b) The general effect of a picture. (c) (Mil.) The faculty or the act of comprehending at a glance the weakness or strength of a military position, of a certain arrangement of troops, the most advantageous position for a battlefield, etc.

Cou"pa*ble (k&oomac;"p&adot;*b'l), a. [F.] Culpable. [Obs.]

||Cou`pÚ" (k&oomac;`p&asl;"), n. [F., fr. coupÚ, p. p. of couper to cut. See Coppice.] 1. The front compartment of a French diligence; also, the front compartment (usually for three persons) of a car or carriage on British railways.

2. A four-wheeled close carriage for two persons inside, with an outside seat for the driver; -- so called because giving the appearance of a larger carriage cut off.

Couped (k??pt), a. [F. couper to cut.] (Her.) Cut off smoothly, as distinguished from erased; -- used especially for the head or limb of an animal. See Erased.

Cou*pee" (k??-p?"; F. k??`p?), n. [F. coupÚ, n., properly p. p. of couper to cut. Cf. CoupÚ, Coopee.] A motion in dancing, when one leg is a little bent, and raised from the floor, and with the other a forward motion is made. Chambers.

||Coupe`-gorge" (k??p`g?rzh"), n. [F., cut throat.] (Mil.) Any position giving the enemy such advantage that the troops occupying it must either surrender or be cut to pieces. Farrow.