counter

a return punch (especially by a boxer)

game equipment (as a piece of wood, plastic, or ivory) used for keeping a count or reserving a space in various card or board games

speak in response

“He countered with some very persuasive arguments”

table consisting of a horizontal surface over which business is transacted

act in advance of; deal with ahead of time

indicating opposition or resistance

a piece of leather forming the back of a shoe or boot

“a counter may be used to stiffen the material around the heel and to give support to the foot”

a calculator that keeps a record of the number of times something happens

a piece of furniture that stands at the side of a dining room; has shelves and drawers

a quick reply to a question or remark (especially a witty or critical one)

a person who counts things

a register whose contents go through a regular series of states (usually states indicating consecutive integers)