count

1 of 3

verb

ˈkau̇nt 

 dialectal  ˈkyau̇nt

counted; counting; counts

transitive verb

1

a

: to indicate or name by units or groups so as to find the total number of units involved : number

Count the pages of the manuscript.

b

: to name the numbers in order up to and including

Count ten.

c

: to include in a tallying and reckoning

about 100 present, counting children

d

: to call aloud (beats or time units)

Count cadence.

Count the eighth notes.

2

a

: consider, account

count oneself lucky

b

: to record as of an opinion or persuasion

Count me as uncommitted.

3

: to include or exclude by or as if by counting

Count me in.

intransitive verb

1

a

: to recite or indicate the numbers in order by units or groups

count by fives

b

: to count the units in a group

She was interrupted while she was counting.

2

: to rely or depend on someone or something

—used with on

He counted on his parents to help with the expenses.

3

: add, total

It counts up to a sizable amount.

4

a

: to have value or significance

These are the people who really count.

His opinions don't count for much.

b

: to deserve to be regarded or considered

a job so easy it hardly counts as work

see also count out

count

2 of 3

noun (1)

plural counts

1

a

: the action or process of counting

b

: a total obtained by counting : tally

2

archaic

a

: reckoning, account

b

: consideration, estimation

3

a

: allegation, charge

specifically : one separately stating the cause of action or prosecution in a legal declaration or indictment

guilty on all counts

b

: a specific point under consideration : issue

disagreeing on this count

4

: the total number of individual things in a given unit or sample obtained by counting all or a subsample of them

bacteria count

5

a

: the calling off of the seconds from one to ten when a boxer has been knocked down

He took a count of nine before getting up.

see also down for the count, take the count

b

: the number of balls and strikes charged to a baseball batter during one turn

The count stood at 3 and 2.

c

: score

tied the count with a minute to play

6

a

: a measurement of the thickness or fineness of yarn by determining the number of hanks or yards per pound it produces

b

: the number of threads per square inch in a cloth

count

3 of 3

noun (2)

: a European nobleman whose rank corresponds to that of a British earl

Phrases

and counting

: with more to come

in business for 50 years and counting

count heads or count noses

: to count the number present

count on

: to look forward to as certain : anticipate

counted on winning

Synonyms

Verb

• enumerate
• number
• tell

Noun (1)

• census
• tale
• tally

Examples of count in a Sentence

Verb

Count the plates on the table.

She made sure to count her change.

Count how many fingers I am holding up.

He counted seven deer in the field.

There are 10 days left until the end of school, counting from today.

Keep counting until there are no more left to count.

Don't interrupt me. I'm counting.

Can your daughter count yet?

There will be 150 people at the wedding, not counting children.

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Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Procedural rules have never been adopted, and so decisions must be reached by consensus, though what counts as consensus is also disputed. —Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2023

While Nikki Garcia enjoyed quality time with her family on Thanksgiving, the Twin Love cohost counted her blessings on social media. —Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 25 Nov. 2023

Kim Crystal, 52, who lives a few blocks away from the checkers club, joined more than a year ago and counts herself as its first new member since the relocation. —Ian Shapira, Washington Post, 24 Nov. 2023

Well, count your lucky stars, because that's exactly what Love Island Australia's Tyra Johannes had to do. —Alexandra Koster, refinery29.com, 23 Nov. 2023

Any offsetting can only be counted once for the nation or business purchasing the credit. —Nidhi Sharma, NBC News, 22 Nov. 2023

Beyond the migrant crisis, the city is facing major budget challenges, including the end of federal pandemic aid and the costs of new labor contracts approved by Mr. Adams, who counts unions among his closest allies. —Emma G. Fitzsimmons, New York Times, 21 Nov. 2023

In the context of front-running, a big future transaction in a company’s stock can count as material. —Robert Faturechi, ProPublica, 21 Nov. 2023

The Pentagon counts more than five dozen such attacks since then. —Matt Seyler, ABC News, 21 Nov. 2023

Noun

In court, he was charged as an adult with four counts of aggravated murder. —Jennifer Gonnerman, The New Yorker, 27 Nov. 2023

The Royal Luxe duvet has a plush feather down filling and 240-thread count for the softest cover to wrap up in at the end of the day. —Kayla Kitts, Peoplemag, 27 Nov. 2023

If convicted on all eight of his counts, Thug faces decades in prison. —Jewel Wicker, Billboard, 27 Nov. 2023

Instead of facing a murder charge, Carpenter pleaded guilty to one count of child endangerment. —Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Nov. 2023

An arrest warrant had been issued for Clark on three counts of first-degree murder, according to the Chaffee County Sheriff's Office. —Marilyn Heck, ABC News, 21 Nov. 2023

The judge said there was enough evidence for Rocky to face the two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm. —Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 21 Nov. 2023

In the spring of 2011, a grand jury in Alexandria indicted Carr on six felony counts, including involuntary manslaughter and child abuse, related to Eric’s death. —Amy Brittain, Washington Post, 14 Nov. 2023

Altogether, by his count, there had been 19 such cases, and nearly two dozen witnesses had already filled him in on the government’s darkest secret. —WIRED, 14 Nov. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French cunter, counter, from Latin computare, from com- + putare to consider

Noun (2)

Middle English, from Anglo-French cunte, from Late Latin comit-, comes, from Latin, companion, one of the imperial court, from com- + ire to go — more at issue entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing count

• count calories
• by the count of
• count off (something)
• count one's chickens before they're hatched
• count one's chickens (before they hatch)
• count noun
• for a count of
• count toward/towards
• count palatine
• count out
• lose count
• point count
• take the count
• count (someone) in
• at the count of
• body count
• down for the count
• count the hours
• blood count
• count off
• count the cost
• count one's blessings
• keep count
• the count
• high-count
• pollen count
• sperm count
• full count
• too many to count
• out for the count
• head count
• did a head count
• count heads
• count noses
• count on

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• count calories
• by the count of
• count off (something)
• count one's chickens before they're hatched
• count one's chickens (before they hatch)
• count noun
• for a count of
• count toward/towards
• count palatine
• count out
• lose count
• point count
• take the count
• count (someone) in
• at the count of
• body count
• down for the count
• count the hours
• blood count
• count off
• count the cost
• count one's blessings
• keep count
• the count
• high-count
• pollen count
• sperm count
• full count
• too many to count
• out for the count
• head count
• did a head count
• count heads
• count noses
• count on

See More

Kids Definition

count

1 of 3 verb

ˈkau̇nt 

1

a

: to add one by one so as to find the total number of a group of things

count the apples in a box

b

: to name the consecutive numbers up to and including

count ten

c

: to recite the numbers one by one or by groups

count to one hundred by fives

d

: to include in a tally

forty present, counting children

2

a

: consider sense 3

count myself lucky

b

: to include or leave out by or as if by counting

count me in

count me out

3

a

: to have value or importance

every vote counts

b

: to deserve to be regarded or considered

a job so easy it hardly counts as work

countable

-ə-bəl

adjective

count

2 of 3 noun

1

a

: the act or process of counting

b

: a total obtained by counting : tally

2

: a charge of wrongdoing

especially : a separate item in a legal accusation

guilty on all counts

3

: the number of balls and strikes charged to a baseball batter during one turn

count

3 of 3 noun

: a European nobleman whose rank is equal to that of a British earl

Etymology

Verb

Middle English counten "to add one by one," from early French counter (same meaning), derived from Latin computare "to count, compute" — related to account, compute

Noun

from early French cunte "nobleman," derived from Latin comes "companion, member of a royal court," literally, "one who goes with another," from com- "with" and -es, a form of ire "to go" — related to county, itinerary

Medical Definition

count

1 of 2 transitive verb

ˈkau̇nt 

: to indicate or name by units or groups so as to find the total number of units involved

count

2 of 2 noun

1

a

: the action or process of counting

b

: a total obtained by counting

2

: the total number of individual things in a given unit or sample (as of blood) obtained by counting all or a subsample of them see addis count, blood count, cell count, red blood count, white count

Legal Definition

count

noun

: charge

specifically : a charge (as in a complaint or indictment) that separately states a cause of action or especially offense

guilty on all counts