countervail
/ˈkaʊntəveɪl/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.25 in modern English
16
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
3
Syllables
11
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To counter, counteract, counterbalance, neutralize, or negate.
verb
To compensate for.
Example Sentences
- "Nay could their numbers counteruaile the ſtars Or [euer] driſling drops of April ſhowers, Or withered leaues that Autume ſhaketh down, Yet would the Souldane by his conquering power: So ſcatter and conſume them in his rage, That not a man ſhal liue to rue their fall."
- "It cannot counteruaile the exchange of joy / That one ſhort minute giues me in her ſight:"
- "[…] should I find thine ear closed and thy heart hardened, what hope for myself could countervail the despair for thee?"
- "When justice stops being effective (or when crimes of corruption stop being punished) and when political violence is no longer a threat, there is nothing left to cause fear in those who govern shamelessly, that is, buoyed by a mood they aren’t in control of and that no one is on hand to countervail."
- "I am one of those who thinke their fruit can no way countervaile this losse."
- "countervail a very confiderable Advantage to all Men of Letters"
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman countrevaloir (Old French contrevaloir), from Latin contrā valēre (“to be strong against”).
Origin
- Source language: Latin
Word Breakdown
- Root: *h₂welh₁-, countrevaloir, contrā valēre
Regional Pronunciation
- British English: /ˈkaʊntəveɪl/