COUNTER. (I) A round piece of metal or wood used form erly in making calculations (Lat. computare, to reckon), and now for reckoning points or as tokens representing actual coins in card games, gambling games, etc. Hence, figuratively, some thing of no real value, a sham. The table or flat-topped barrier in a bank or shop. The term was also applied, usually in the form "compter," to debtors' prisons. The "compters" of the sheriffs' courts of the city of London were at various times in the Poultry, Bread street, Wood street and Giltspur street ; the Giltspur street compter was the last to be closed in 1854. (2) A circular parry in fencing, and in boxing a blow given as a parry to a lead of an opponent (Lat. contra, opposite, against). The word is also used of the stiff piece of leather at the back of a boot, of the rounded angle at the stern of a ship, and in a horse of the part between the shoulder and the under part of the neck.