1a long flat-topped fitment across which business is conducted in a shop or bank or refreshments are served in a cafeteria.
North American a worktop.
2a small disc used in board games for keeping the score or as a place marker.
a token representing a coin.
a factor used to give one party an advantage in negotiations:the proposal has become a crucial bargaining counter over prices
3a device used for counting:the counter tells you how many pictures you have taken
a person who counts something, for example votes in an election.
Physics an apparatus used for counting individual ionizing particles or events.
Phrases
behind the counter
serving in a shop or bank:he drove to the store and flirted with two sisters behind the counter
over the counter
by ordinary retail purchase, with no need for a prescription or licence: [as modifier]:over-the-counter medicines
(of share transactions) taking place outside the stock exchange system.
under the counter (or table)
(with reference to goods bought or sold) surreptitiously and typically illegally:hard porn is legally banned, but still available under the counter [as modifier]:an under-the-counter deal
Origin:
Middle English(in 1sense 2): from Old French conteor, from medieval Latin computatorium, from Latin computare(see compute)
counter in other Oxford dictionaries
Definition of counter in the US English dictionary
