Countervail
verb ·3 syllables ·Moderate ·College level
Definitions
- 1 To have the same value or number as. obsolete
"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."
- 2 oppose and mitigate the effects of by contrary actions wordnet
- 3 To counter, counteract, counterbalance, neutralize, or negate.
"It cannot counteruaile the exchange of joy / That one ſhort minute giues me in her ſight:"
- 4 compensate for or counterbalance wordnet
- 5 To compensate for.
"I am one of those who thinke their fruit can no way countervaile this losse."
Example
More examples"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."
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman countrevaloir (Old French contrevaloir), from Latin contrā valēre (“to be strong against”).
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.