Part 2493

<h1>Counterplot</h1> <Xpage=333>

<hw>Coun`ter*plot"</hw> <tt>(koun`t?r-pl?t")</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Counterplotted</er>;<tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Counterplotting</er>.]</wordforms> <def>To oppose, as another plot, by plotting; to attempt to frustrate, as a stratagem, by stratagem.</def>

<blockquote>Every wile had proved abortive, every plot had been <b>counterplotted</b>. <i>De Quinsey.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Counterplot</h1> <Xpage=333>

<hw>Coun"ter*plot`</hw> <tt>(koun"t?r-pl?t`)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>A plot or artifice opposed to another.</def>

<i>L'Estrange.</i>

<h1>Counterpoint</h1> <Xpage=333>

<hw>Coun"ter*point`</hw> <tt>(koun"t?r-point`)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[<ets>Counter-</ets> + <ets>point</ets>.]</ety> <def>An opposite point</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Sir E. Sandys.</i>

<h1>Counterpoint</h1> <Xpage=333>

<hw>Coun"ter*point`</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[F. <ets>contrepoint</ets>; cf. It. <ets>contrappunto</ets>. Cf. <er>Contrapuntal</er>.]</ety> <fld>(Mus.)</fld> <sd>(a)</sd> <def>The setting of note against note in harmony; the adding of one or more parts to a given <i>canto fermo</i> or melody</def>. <sd>(b)</sd> <def>The art of polyphony, or composite melody, <it>i. e.</it>, melody not single, but moving attended by one or more related melodies.</def> <sd>(c)</sd> <def>Music in parts; part writing; harmony; polyphonic music. See <er>Polyphony</er>.</def>

<blockquote><b>Counterpoint</b>, an invention equivalent to a new creation of music. <i>Whewell.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Counterpoint</h1> <Xpage=333>

<hw>Coun"ter*point`</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[OF. <ets>contrepoincte</ets>, corruption of earlier <ets>counstepointe</ets>, <ets>countepointe</ets>, F. <ets>courtepointe</ets>, fr. L. <ets>culcita</ets> cushion, mattress (see <er>Quilt</er>, and cf. <er>Cushion</er>) + <ets>puncta</ets>, fem. p. p. of <ets>pungere</ets> to prick (see <er>Point</er>). The word properly meant a stitched quilt, with the colors broken one into another.]</ety> <def>A coverlet; a cover for a bed, often stitched or broken into squares; a counterpane. See 1st <er>Counterpane</er>.</def>

<blockquote>Embroidered coverlets or <b>counterpoints</b> of purple silk. <i>Sir T. North.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Counterpoise</h1> <Xpage=333>

<hw>Coun"ter*poise`</hw> <tt>(koun"t?r-poiz`; 277)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Counterpoised</er> <tt>(-poizd`)</tt>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Counterpoising</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[OE. <ets>countrepesen</ets>, <ets>counterpeisen</ets>, F. <ets>contrepeser</ets>. See <er>Counter</er>, <ets>adv</ets>., and <er>Poise</er>, <tt>v. t.</tt> ]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>To act against with equal weight; to equal in weght; to balance the weight of; to counterbalance.</def>

<blockquote>Weigts, <b>counterpoising</b> one another. <i>Sir K. Digby.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To act against with equal power; to balance.</def>

<blockquote>So many freeholders of English will be able to beard and <b>counterpoise</b> the rest. <i>Spenser.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Counterpoise</h1> <Xpage=333>

<hw>Coun"ter*poise`</hw> <tt>(koun"t?r-poiz`)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[OE. <ets>countrepese</ets>, OF. <ets>contrepois</ets>, F. <ets>contrepods</ets>. See <er>Counter</er>, <ets>adv</ets>., and <er>Poise</er>, <tt>n.</tt>]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>A weight sufficient to balance another, as in the opposite scale of a balance; an equal weight.</def>

<blockquote>Fastening that to our exact balance, we put a metalline <b>counterpoise</b> into the opposite scale. <i>Boyle.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>An equal power or force acting in opposition; a force sufficient to balance another force.</def>

<blockquote>The second nobles are a <b>counterpoise</b> to the higher nobility, that they grow not too potent. <i>Bacon.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>The relation of two weights or forces which balance each other; equilibrum; equiponderance.</def>

<blockquote>The pendulous round eart, with balanced air, In <b>counterpoise</b>. <i>Milton.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Counterpole</h1> <Xpage=333>