COUNTRY, an extent of land, a region with some peculiar character, e.g., the "black country," "fen country," etc. (Late Lat. contrata, a tract of land spread out to view in the foreground, from contra, opposite, over against) ; hence it came to mean the land inhabited by a particular nation or race. It is used, also, in the sense of land not occupied by large towns, whence such expressions as "country house," "country town," etc. The word appears in many phrases, in the sense of the whole population of a country, especially the general body of electors, as in the expression "go to the country," for the dissolution of Parliament preparatory to a general election.