counterclaim

American  

[koun-ter-kleym, koun-ter-kleym] / ˈkaʊn tərˌkleɪm, ˌkaʊn tərˈkleɪm /

noun

1. a claim made to offset another claim, especially one made by the defendant in a legal action.

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verb (used with or without object)

counterclaims, present (3rd person singular) counterclaimed, past participle, past counterclaiming present participle

1. to claim so as to offset a previous claim.

counterclaim British  

/ ˈkaʊntəˌkleɪm /

noun

1. a claim set up in opposition to another, esp by the defendant in a civil action against the plaintiff

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verb

1. to set up (a claim) in opposition to another claim

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• counterclaimant
  noun

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has counterclaimed
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have counterclaimed
  perfect
• has been counterclaiming
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• are counterclaiming
  progressive
• counterclaiming
  participle
• have been counterclaiming
  perfect progressive
• counterclaims
  singular 3rd person
• is counterclaiming
  progressive 3rd person singular
• am counterclaiming
  progressive 1st person singular

Past

• had counterclaimed
  perfect
• was counterclaiming
  progressive singular
• counterclaimed
  simple
• were counterclaiming
  progressive plural
• had been counterclaiming
  perfect progressive
• counterclaimed
  participle

Future

• will counterclaim
  simple
• will have counterclaimed
  perfect
• will be counterclaiming
  progressive
• will have been counterclaiming
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of counterclaim

First recorded in 1775–85; counter- + claim

Explanation

When one person sues another in a court of law and the defendant responds by filing their own lawsuit against that person, that's a counterclaim. If your neighbor sues you because you're collecting junky cars in your shared driveway, you might file a counterclaim stating that they stole property when they hauled one of the old cars to the town dump. Another way to use this word is to mean "opposing argument." In a debate, when you state that school lunch should be free for everyone, your opponent may present a counterclaim that the income from selling food helps the school in the long run.

Related Words

• allowance
• benefit
• bonus
• coverage
• earnings
• fee
• indemnity
• pay
• payment
• payoff
• premium
• profit
• redress
• reimbursement
• remittance
• remuneration
• reparation
• restitution
• reward
• salary