- 1[intransitive] to say numbers in the correct order Billy can't count yet. count to/up to something She can count up to 10 in Italian. count (from something) to/up to something to count from 1 to 10 find total
- 2[transitive, intransitive] to calculate the total number of people, things, etc. in a particular group count something (up) The diet is based on counting calories. Count the “yes” votes and the “no” votes separately. count (up) how many… She began to count up how many guests they had to invite. count from… There are 12 weeks to go, counting from today.
- 3[transitive] count somebody/something to include someone or something when you calculate a total We have invited 50 people, not counting the children. matter
- 4[intransitive] (not used in the progressive tenses) to be important synonym matter Every point in this game counts. It's the thought that counts (= used about a small but kind action or gift). count for something The fact that she had apologized counted for nothing with him. accept officially
- 5[intransitive, transitive] to be officially accepted; to accept something officially Don't go over that line or your throw won't count. count something Applications received after July 1 will not be counted. consider
- 6[intransitive, transitive] count somebody/something (as) somebody/something count as somebody/something to consider someone or something in a particular way; to be considered in a particular way count (somebody/something) as somebody/something For tax purposes that money counts/is counted as income. count somebody/something/yourself + adv./prep. I count him among my closest friends. count somebody/something/yourself + adj. I count myself lucky to have known him. count somebody/something/yourself + noun She counts herself one of the lucky ones. Idioms
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NAmE//kaʊnt//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they count he / she / it counts
past simple counted
-ing form counting
used to say that a total is continuing to increase The movie's ticket sales add up to $39 million and counting.
used to say that the total number of someone or something is very small She could count on the fingers of one hand the people she actually enjoyed being with.
to be grateful for the good things in your life
to feel the bad effects of a mistake, an accident, etc. The town is now counting the cost of its failure to provide adequate flood protection.
to imagine that sheep are jumping over a fence and to count them, as a way of getting to sleep
you should not be too confident that something will be successful, because something may still go wrong
to say publicly that you support someone or you agree with something
used to say that you do not care how many times something happens The next Star Trek movie (number six, but who's counting?) will be the last. Phrasal Verbscount againstcount downcount incount oncount outcount toward
Check pronunciation: count