| 释义 |
▪ I. countervail, v.|kaʊntəˈveɪl|
Also 4–6 countre-, countyr-, cowntir-, contre-, conter-, contur, 4–7 -vaile, -vayle, -vaille, -vale.
[a. AF. countrevaloir = OF. contrevaloir (pres. subj. contrevaille):—L. phrase contrā valēre to be of worth against.]
†1. trans. To be equivalent to in value. Obs.
c1380Wyclif Wks. (1880) 392 Þes tiþis and þis offryngis, þe whiche as I suppose cowntirvaylen þe seculer lordis rentis. 1494Fabyan Chron. vii. 569 Iewellys & other stuffe yt countyruayled the sayd value. 1551Robinson tr. More's Utop. (Arb.) 45 All the goodes in the worlde are not hable to counteruayle mans life. 1604T. Wright Passions v. §4. 240 Such a pretious Iewell..a million of golde would not countervaile. 1655Fuller Ch. Hist. ii. v. §10 As a Shilling passing in Payment countervaileth six two-pences.
2. To equal, match, come up to. arch.
1530Palsgr. 801 Whan the frensche tonge hathe many adverbes that contrevaile one adverbe in englyshe. 1607Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1673) 133 Notwithstanding they countervail not the Greyhound in greatness. 1635N. Carpenter Geog. Del. ii. ix. 164 That these vapours counteruaile the water perpetually brought in, is..very improbable. 1732Pope Ess. Man i. Argt., Reason alone countervails all the other faculties. 1841Emerson Lect., Times Wks. (Bohn) II. 250 An incalculable energy which countervails all other forces in nature.
†b. To make an equivalent return for; to reciprocate. Obs.
1583Stubbes Anat. Abus. (1877) 63 Though I be vnable with any benefit to counteruail your great pains. 1587Fleming Contn. Holinshed III. 1295/2 So much the lesse hope haue we..to counteruaile the huge sea of the rest of your benefits. 1610–12Rowlands Four Knaves (Percy Soc.) 7 Whome you shall ready finde To countervaile your curtesie. 1633Heywood Eng. Trav. iii. Wks. 1874 IV. 41 This, and more..can neuer counteruaile The oft and frequent welcomes giuen my sonne.
†3. To act against or resist with equal force; to counterbalance. Obs.
1590Spenser F.Q. ii. vi. 29 He fiersly at him flew..Who, soone prepared to field, his sword forth drew, And him with equall valew countervayld. 1641Wilkins Math. Magick ii. xv. (1648) 292 The outward streams..must be of so much force as to countervail all that weight. 1669Boyle Contn. New Exp. i. xlvii. (1682) 163 The Air in the Bladder..was able by its Pressure to countervaile the weight of 42 pound.
†b. To balance against any force; to ballast. Obs. rare.
1630J. Levett Ord. Bees (1634) 70 If any tempest suddenly arise, they [bees] countervaile themselues with little stones, flying in the wind as neere the ground as may be.
4. fig. To avail or prevail against; to have force or be of effect against; to counterbalance.
1547J. Harrison Exhort. Scottes 226 Thoughe prescripcion serued in that case..yet the warres made from tyme to tyme, counteruaile a possession thereof. c1560Abp. Parker Psalter lxxxiii. 237 Gods hand them all so countervaylde. 1674Govt. Tongue Pref. §5 These few stones and sling..may countervail the massive armor, of the uncircumcised Philistin. 1768Blackstone Comm. III. 404 No certificate of a judge was allowed..to countervail the oath of the jury. 1849Grote Greece ii. lv. (1862) V. 6 Advantage..which had to a certain extent been countervailed by subsequent losses. 1859Kingsley Agric. Crisis Misc. II. 170 No subsequent failures..can countervail that fact.
5. To compensate, make up for (damage, trouble, loss, etc.). Formerly said also of persons.
1393Gower Conf. I. 270 He..countrevaileth The harm, that he hem so travaileth. 1523Ld. Berners Froiss. I. cxxxviii. 167 The good seruyce that ye haue done, and your valyantnesse..must counteruayle your trespasse, and be taken for your excuse. 1586Cogan Haven Health iii. (1636) 23 God..hath provided food..to restore and countervaile..the continual impairing..of our flesh. 1611Bible Esther vii. 4 Although the enemy could not counteruaile the kings dammage. 1713Addison Guardian No. 135 ⁋1 It..more than countervails all the calamities and afflictions which can possibly befal us. 1834Lytton Pompeii 252 What hope for myself could countervail the despair for thee? 1865Grote Plato I. vi. 273 A full breadth of positive philosophy to countervail his own negative fertility.
6. intr.
a. To be of equal force or weight on the contrary side; to avail against (with, for obs.)
1393Gower Conf. Prol. I. 28 Where Rome than wolde assaile, There mighte nothing contrevaile. 1536Starkey Let. in England p. xl, Albehyt..suffycyent to conturvayle agayn al owtward displesure. 1551Recorde Cast. Knowl. (1556) 233 Alwaies the one signe counteruailyng with his contrary, there is euermore one halfe of the Zodiake aboue the Horizonte. 1583Stubbes Anat. Abus. (1877) 27 There is no sinne so greeuous, which the grace and mercy of God is not able to counteruaile withal. 1649Milton Eikon. xii. (1851) 433 Against which testimonies..the bare denyall of one man..cannot..countervaile. 1660N. Ingelo Bentiv. & Urania i. (1682) 116 Will the treading a few steps countervail for perseverance in our journey? 1831Brewster Newton (1855) I. iv. 108 What name..could countervail against the High Priest of Science.
†b. To be equivalent or equal; to vie with. Obs.
1530Calisto & Melib. in Hazl. Dodsley I. 61 [He] would say in comparison nothing countervails. 1570R. Ascham Scholem. (Arb.) 102 Surelie the proffet..wold conteruaile wyth the toile. 1581J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 81 b, A certeine man..who rashly..seemeth to countervaile with the politicke prowesse of Themystocles.
▪ II. countervail, n. ? Obs.|ˈkaʊntəveɪl|
[f. prec. vb.]
That which countervails; an equivalent.
c1430Lydg. Chorle & Byrde (1818) 15, I to haue more poise closid in myn entraille Than alle my body set for the counteruaylle. 1663Marquis of Worcester Water-Comm. Engine 15 The Engine consisteth of the following Particulars:—1. A perfect Counterpoize for what quantity soever of Water.—2. A perfect Countervail for what Height soever it is to be brought unto.. 4. A Viceregent or Countervail supplying the place and performing the full force of a Man, Wind, Beast or Mill. a1716South Serm. (1717) III. 515 The present pleasure of a sinfull Act, is a poor Countervail for the bitterness of the Review. 1853G. Johnston Nat. Hist. E. Bord. I. 126 This..structure is given as a countervail to the great size and weight of the seed. |