Emily Dickinson Lexicon

COUNT'ING-HOUSE, or COUNT'ING-ROOM, n. [See Count, the verb.]

The house or room appropriated by merchants, traders, and manufacturers, to the business of keeping their books, accounts, letters, and papers.

COUNT'LESS, a. [count and less.]

That which can not be counted; not having the number ascertained, nor ascertainable; innumerable. The sands of the sea-shore are countless.

COUN'TRY, a.

1. Pertaining to the country or territory at distance from a city; rural; rustic; as, a country town; a country seat; a country squire; a country life; the country party, as opposed to city party.
2. Pertaining or peculiar to one's own country. He spoke in his country language. – Maccabees.
3. Rude; ignorant. – Dryden. Country-dance, an erroneous orthography. [See Contra-dance.]

COUN'TRY, n. [kun'try; The correct orthography would be contry, Fr. contrée, It. contrada, contracted from L. conterra, con and terra, land adjacent to a city. Hence, the citizens say, Let us go into the country. The Latin has conterraneus, a countryman.]

1. Properly, the land lying about or near a city; the territory situated in the vicinity of a city. Our friend has a seat in the country, a few miles from town. See Mark v. Luke viii. Hence,
2. The whole territory of a kingdom or state, as opposed to city. We say, The gentleman has a seat in the country, at any distance from town indefinitely. Hence,
3. Any tract of land, or inhabited land; any region, as distinguished from other regions; a kingdom, state, or lesser district. We speak of all the countries of Europe or Asia. And they came into the country of Moab. – Ruth i.
4. The kingdom, state, or territory in which one is born; the land of nativity; or the particular district indefinitely in which one is born. America is my country, or Connecticut is my country. Laban said, It must not be so done in our country. Gen – xxix.
5. The region in which one resides. He sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign country. – Heb. xi.
6. Land, as opposed to water; or inhabited territory. The shipmen deemed that they drew near to some country. – Acts xxvii.
7. The inhabitants of a region. All the country wept with a loud voice. – 2 Sam. xv.
8. A place of residence; a region of permanent habitation. They declare plainly that they seek a country. – Heb. xi. They desire a better country, a heavenly. – Heb. xi.
9. In law, a jury or jurors; as, trial by the country, per pais.

COUN'TRY-FY, v.t.

To make rustic.

COUN'TRY-MAN, n.

1. One born in the same country with another. This man is my countryman. See 2 Cor. xi. 26.
2. One who dwells in the country, as opposed to a citizen; a rustic; a farmer or husbandman; a man of plain unpolished manners.
3. An inhabitant or native of a region. What countryman is he?

COUNT'-WHEEL, n.

The wheel in a clock which moves round and causes it to strike.

COUN'TY, a.

Pertaining to a county; as, county court.

COUN'TY, n. [Fr. comté; Sp. condado; It. contéa; L. comitatus. See Count.]

1. Originally, an earldom; the district or territory of count or earl. Now, 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. It is called also a shire. [See Shire.] Each county has its sherif and its court, with other officers employed in the administration of justice, and the execution of the laws. In England there are fifty-two counties, and in each is a Lord Lieutenant, who has command of the militia. The several states of America are divided by law into counties, in each of which is a county court of inferior jurisdiction; and in each the supreme court of the state holds stated sessions.
2. A count; an earl or lord. [Obs.] – Shak. County-court, the court whose jurisdiction is limited to a county, whose powers, in America, depend on statutes. In England, it is incident to the jurisdiction of the sherif. County palatine, in England, is a county distinguished by particular privileges; so called a palatio, 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 their powers are now abridged. The counties palatine, in England, are Lancaster, Chester, and Durham. County corporate, is a county invested with particular privileges by charter or royal grant; as, London, York, Bristol, &c.

COUP-DE-GRACE, n. [Fr. Coup de gräce.]

The finishing stroke.

COUP-DE-MAIN, n. [Fr. Coup de main.]

A sudden attack, or enterprise.

COUP-D'OEIL, n. [coop dal; Fr. Coup d'œil.]

Slight view; glance of the eye.

COUP-EE', n. [Fr. couper, to cut.]

A motion in dancing, when one leg is a little bent and suspended from the ground, and with the other a motion is made forward. – Chambers.

COUP'LE, n. [kup'pl; Fr. couple; L. copula; It. Sp. id.; Arm. couble; D. koppel; G. kuppel; Sw. koppel; Dan. kobbel; Heb. כפל; Ch. id., and קפל, to double or fold; Syr. id.; Sam. to shut.]

1. Two of the same species or kind, and near in place, or considered together; as, a couple of men; a couple of oranges. I have planted a couple of cherry trees. We can not call a horse and an ox a couple, unless we add a generic term. Of a horse and ox feeding in a pasture, we should say, a couple of animals. Among huntsmen and soldiers, brace is used for couple; as, a brace of ducks; a brace of pistols. Couple differs from pair, which implies strictly, not only things of the same kind, but likeness, equality, or customary association. A pair is a couple; but a couple may or may not be a pair.
2. Two things of any kind connected or linked together.
3. A male and female connected by marriage, betrothed, or allied; as, a married couple; a young couple.
4. That which links or connects two things together; a chain.

COUP'LE, v.i.

To embrace, as the sexes. – Dryden.

COU'PLE, v.t. [Fr. coupler; L. copulo; Sp. copular; It. copulare.]

1. To link, chain, or connect one thing with another; to sew or fasten together. Thou shalt couple the curtains with hooks. – Ex. xxvi.
2. To marry; to wed; to unite, as husband and wife. – Swift.

COUP'LED, pp.

United, as two things; linked; married.

COUP'LE-MENT, n.

Union. – Spenser.

COUP'LET, n. [cup'plet; Fr.]

1. Two verses; a pair of rhymes.
2. A division of a hymn or ode, in which an equal number or equal measure of verses is found in each part, called a strophe.
3. A pair; as, a couplet of doves. [Not used.] – Shak.

COUP'LING, n.

1. That which couples or connects. – 2 Chron. xxxiv.
2. The act of coupling.

COUP'LING, ppr.

Uniting in couples; fastening or connecting together; embracing.

COUR'AGE, n. [kur'rage; Fr. from cœur, L. cor, the heart; Arm. couraich; Sp. corage; Port. coragem; It. coraggio.]

Bravery; intrepidity; that quality of mind which enables men to encounter danger and difficulties with firmness, or without fear or depression of spirits; valor; boldness; resolution. It is a constituent part of fortitude; but fortitude implies patience to bear continued suffering. Courage that grows from constitution, often forsakes a man when he has occasion for it; courage which arises from a sense of duty, acts in a uniform manner. – Addison. Be strong, and of good courage. – Deut xxxi.

COUR-A'GEOUS, a.

Brave; bold; daring; intrepid; hardy to encounter difficulties and dangers; adventurous; enterprising. Be thou strong and courageous. – Josh. i.

COUR-A'GEOUS-LY, adv.

With courage; bravely; boldly; stoutly.

COUR-A'GEOUS-NESS, n.

Courage; boldness; bravery; intrepidity; spirit; valor.