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countermine. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
countermine, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
countermine in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
countermine you have here. The definition of the word
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English
Etymology
From counter- + mine.
Noun
countermine (plural countermines)
- A mine used by defenders to intercept an enemy mine or tunnel.
1990, Peter Hopkirk, The Great Game, Folio Society, published 2010, page 436:Normally the threat would have been dealt with by means of a counter-mine, but the tunnel was now far too close for that.
- An underground gallery excavated to intercept and destroy the mining of an enemy.
- A stratagem or plot by which another stratagem or project is defeated.
a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the page number)”, in Fulke Greville, Matthew Gwinne, and John Florio, editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: for William Ponsonbie, published 1590, →OCLC; republished in Albert Feuillerat, editor, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia (Cambridge English Classics: The Complete Works of Sir Philip Sidney; I), Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: University Press, 1912, →OCLC:Thinking himself contemned, knowing no countermine against contempt but terror.
Verb
countermine (third-person singular simple present countermines, present participle countermining, simple past and past participle countermined)
- To plot opposition; to frustrate the initiatives of another.
1749, Henry Fielding, chapter III, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volumes (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A Millar, , →OCLC, book VI:[…] every gamester will agree how necessary it is to know exactly the play of another, in order to countermine him.
- (transitive, intransitive) to sap hostile mining.
1923, Frank Fox, “The Man-Made Earthquake”, in Charles Francis Horne, The Great Events of the Great War, volume 5:[…] so Fritz could sleep easily in his trench, so far as mines were concerned; and Fritz, confident in his Herr Professors, altogether neglected any attempt to counter-mine.
Synonyms