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countervail definition

counter·vail (ko̵unt′ər vāl′, ko̵unt′ər vāl′)

transitive verb

  1. to make up for; compensate
  2. to counteract; be successful, useful, etc. against; avail against
  3. Archaic to match or equal

Etymology: ME countrevailen < OFr contrevaloir < contre (see counter) + valoir, to avail < L valere, to be strong: see value

intransitive verb

to avail (against)

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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