countercheck

American  

[koun-ter-chek, koun-ter-chek] / ˈkaʊn tərˌtʃɛk, ˌkaʊn tərˈtʃɛk /

noun

1. a check that opposes or restrains.

2. a check controlling or confirming another check.

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verb (used with object)

1. to oppose or restrain (a tendency, force, trend, etc.) by contrary action.

2. to control or confirm by a second check.

countercheck British  

noun

1. a check or restraint, esp one that acts in opposition to another

2. a restraint that reinforces another restraint

3. a double check, as for accuracy

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verb

1. to oppose by counteraction

2. to control or restrain by a second check

3. to double-check

Etymology

Origin of countercheck

First recorded in 1550–60; counter- + check ¹

Example Sentences

Comptroller General McCarl has not had authority to check and countercheck the expenditure of Federal emergency appropriations, nor has Budget Director Douglas had power to plan their spending.

From Time Magazine Archive

To have his keys to count and countercheck.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy

That word fell on his ear for the first time from a white man's lips, and the stupefaction of it was a countercheck to his grief.

From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 15, No. 90, April, 1865 by Various

Ne'er shall she come within our palace gate, To countercheck brave Locrine in his love.

From Locrine/Mucedorus by Shakespeare (spurious and doubtful works)

He is forbidden, in fact, to be himself a good citizen; forbidden to be anything more than the colourless instrument of a system of compromise and countercheck.

From Irish Books and Irish People by Gwynn, Stephen Lucius

Related Words

• annihilate
• belie
• cancel out
• disallow
• disprove
• invalidate
• neutralize
• nullify
• rebut
• reverse
• undo
• vitiate
• void