counterattack
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coun·ter·at·tack
(koun′tər-ə-tăk′)n.
A return attack.
intr. & tr.v. (koun′tər-ə-tăk′) coun·ter·at·tacked, coun·ter·at·tack·ing, coun·ter·at·tacks
To deliver a return attack or make a return attack against.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
counterattack
(ˈkaʊntərəˌtæk)n
an attack in response to an attack
vb
to make a counterattack (against)
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
coun•ter•at•tack
(ˈkaʊn tər əˌtæk)n.
1. an attack made as an offset or reply to another attack.
v.t. 2. to make a counterattack against.
v.i. 3. to deliver a counterattack.
[1915–20]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
counterattack
Attack by part or all of a defending force against an enemy attacking force, for such specific purposes as regaining ground lost or cutting off or destroying enemy advance units, and with the general objective of denying to the enemy the attainment of the enemy's purpose in attacking. In sustained defensive operations, it is undertaken to restore the battle position and is directed at limited objectives. See also countermove; counteroffensive.
Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. US Department of Defense 2005.
counterattack
Past participle: counterattacked
Gerund: counterattacking
| Imperative |
|---|
| counterattack |
| counterattack |
| Present |
|---|
| I counterattack |
| you counterattack |
| he/she/it counterattacks |
| we counterattack |
| you counterattack |
| they counterattack |
| Preterite |
|---|
| I counterattacked |
| you counterattacked |
| he/she/it counterattacked |
| we counterattacked |
| you counterattacked |
| they counterattacked |
| Present Continuous |
|---|
| I am counterattacking |
| you are counterattacking |
| he/she/it is counterattacking |
| we are counterattacking |
| you are counterattacking |
| they are counterattacking |
| Present Perfect |
|---|
| I have counterattacked |
| you have counterattacked |
| he/she/it has counterattacked |
| we have counterattacked |
| you have counterattacked |
| they have counterattacked |
| Past Continuous |
|---|
| I was counterattacking |
| you were counterattacking |
| he/she/it was counterattacking |
| we were counterattacking |
| you were counterattacking |
| they were counterattacking |
| Past Perfect |
|---|
| I had counterattacked |
| you had counterattacked |
| he/she/it had counterattacked |
| we had counterattacked |
| you had counterattacked |
| they had counterattacked |
| Future |
|---|
| I will counterattack |
| you will counterattack |
| he/she/it will counterattack |
| we will counterattack |
| you will counterattack |
| they will counterattack |
| Future Perfect |
|---|
| I will have counterattacked |
| you will have counterattacked |
| he/she/it will have counterattacked |
| we will have counterattacked |
| you will have counterattacked |
| they will have counterattacked |
| Future Continuous |
|---|
| I will be counterattacking |
| you will be counterattacking |
| he/she/it will be counterattacking |
| we will be counterattacking |
| you will be counterattacking |
| they will be counterattacking |
| Present Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I have been counterattacking |
| you have been counterattacking |
| he/she/it has been counterattacking |
| we have been counterattacking |
| you have been counterattacking |
| they have been counterattacking |
| Future Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I will have been counterattacking |
| you will have been counterattacking |
| he/she/it will have been counterattacking |
| we will have been counterattacking |
| you will have been counterattacking |
| they will have been counterattacking |
| Past Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I had been counterattacking |
| you had been counterattacking |
| he/she/it had been counterattacking |
| we had been counterattacking |
| you had been counterattacking |
| they had been counterattacking |
| Conditional |
|---|
| I would counterattack |
| you would counterattack |
| he/she/it would counterattack |
| we would counterattack |
| you would counterattack |
| they would counterattack |
| Past Conditional |
|---|
| I would have counterattacked |
| you would have counterattacked |
| he/she/it would have counterattacked |
| we would have counterattacked |
| you would have counterattacked |
| they would have counterattacked |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
Noun 1. counterattack - an attack by a defending force against an attacking enemy force in order to regain lost ground or cut off enemy advance units etc.
attack, onrush, onset, onslaught - (military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons); "the attack began at dawn"
riposte - (fencing) a counterattack made immediately after successfully parrying the opponents lunge
2. counterattack - (chess) an attack that is intended to counter the opponent's advantage in another part of the board
attack - an offensive move in a sport or game; "they won the game with a 10-hit attack in the 9th inning"
chess game, chess - a board game for two players who move their 16 pieces according to specific rules; the object is to checkmate the opponent's king
Verb 1. counterattack - make a counterattack
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
counterattack
nounThe act of retaliating:
counteraction, counterblow, reciprocation, reprisal, requital, retaliation, retribution, revenge, tit for tat, vengeance.
Idioms: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, like for like , measure for measure .
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
contrattaquecontrattaquercontre-attaque contre-attaquer
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995