countersign


Also found in: Thesaurus, Legal, Financial, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

coun·ter·sign

 (koun′tər-sīn′)
tr.v. coun·ter·signed, coun·ter·sign·ing, coun·ter·signs
To sign (a previously signed document) to vouch for the authenticity of the document.
n.
1. A second or confirming signature on a previously signed document. Also called countersignature.
2.
a. A sign or signal to be given to a sentry in order to obtain passage; a password.
b. A secret sign or signal given in answer to another.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

countersign

vb
(Law) (tr) to sign (a document already signed by another)
n
1. Also called: countersignature the signature so written
2. a secret sign given in response to another sign
3. (Military) chiefly military a password
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

coun•ter•sign

(ˈkaʊn tərˌsaɪn)

n.
1. a sign used in reply to another sign.
2. a secret sign or signal that must be given by authorized persons seeking admission into a guarded area.
3. a signature added to another signature, esp. for authentication.
v.t.
4. to sign (a document that has been signed by someone else), esp. in confirmation or authentication.
[1585–95; < Middle French contresigne < Italian contrasegno]
coun`ter•sig′na•ture (-ˈsɪg nə tʃər) n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

countersign

A secret challenge and its reply. See also challenge; password.
Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. US Department of Defense 2005.

countersign


Past participle: countersigned
Gerund: countersigning

Imperative
countersign
countersign
Present
I countersign
you countersign
he/she/it countersigns
we countersign
you countersign
they countersign
Preterite
I countersigned
you countersigned
he/she/it countersigned
we countersigned
you countersigned
they countersigned
Present Continuous
I am countersigning
you are countersigning
he/she/it is countersigning
we are countersigning
you are countersigning
they are countersigning
Present Perfect
I have countersigned
you have countersigned
he/she/it has countersigned
we have countersigned
you have countersigned
they have countersigned
Past Continuous
I was countersigning
you were countersigning
he/she/it was countersigning
we were countersigning
you were countersigning
they were countersigning
Past Perfect
I had countersigned
you had countersigned
he/she/it had countersigned
we had countersigned
you had countersigned
they had countersigned
Future
I will countersign
you will countersign
he/she/it will countersign
we will countersign
you will countersign
they will countersign
Future Perfect
I will have countersigned
you will have countersigned
he/she/it will have countersigned
we will have countersigned
you will have countersigned
they will have countersigned
Future Continuous
I will be countersigning
you will be countersigning
he/she/it will be countersigning
we will be countersigning
you will be countersigning
they will be countersigning
Present Perfect Continuous
I have been countersigning
you have been countersigning
he/she/it has been countersigning
we have been countersigning
you have been countersigning
they have been countersigning
Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been countersigning
you will have been countersigning
he/she/it will have been countersigning
we will have been countersigning
you will have been countersigning
they will have been countersigning
Past Perfect Continuous
I had been countersigning
you had been countersigning
he/she/it had been countersigning
we had been countersigning
you had been countersigning
they had been countersigning
Conditional
I would countersign
you would countersign
he/she/it would countersign
we would countersign
you would countersign
they would countersign
Past Conditional
I would have countersigned
you would have countersigned
he/she/it would have countersigned
we would have countersigned
you would have countersigned
they would have countersigned
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.countersign - a secret word or phrase known only to a restricted groupcountersign - a secret word or phrase known only to a restricted group; "he forgot the password"
arcanum, secret - information known only to a special group; "the secret of Cajun cooking"
positive identification - evidence proving that you are who you say you are; evidence establishing that you are among the group of people already known to the system; recognition by the system leads to acceptance; "a system for positive identification can prevent the use of a single identity by several people"
2.countersign - a second confirming signature endorsing a document already signed
signature - your name written in your own handwriting
Verb1.countersign - add one's signature to after another's to attest authenticity; "You must countersign on this line of the contract"
sign - be engaged by a written agreement; "He signed to play the casino on Dec. 18"; "The soprano signed to sing the new opera"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations

countersign

[ˈkaʊntəsaɪn]
A. N (Mil) → contraseña f
B. VTrefrendar
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

countersign

[ˈkaʊntərsaɪn] vt [+ document] → contresigner
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

countersign

[ˈkaʊntəˌsaɪn] vtcontrofirmare
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
References in classic literature ?
As a young man I was an evident failure, and so, having made the countersign, I was speedily transformed to my old self; and I must say that it was a most comfortable feeling, something like getting back again into an old coat or an old pair of shoes.
Their concluding words had evidently been some form of sign and countersign. The instant that their footsteps had died away in the distance, Jefferson Hope sprang to his feet, and helping his companions through the gap, led the way across the fields at the top of his speed, supporting and half-carrying the girl when her strength appeared to fail her.
"Seven from five," returned Jefferson Hope promptly, remembering the countersign which he had heard in the garden.
They rose about eight o'clock in the winter, about six in summer, and went to take the countersign and see how things went on at M.
"And what to these ministers do but countersign the signature of the king?"
* sign and countersign being Passelodion and Berafriend.
"We know, Brother, by your sign and by your countersign that you are indeed one of us," said McGinty.
"That is true; but he will read a petition countersigned and presented by me."
A robber doesn't quite like to leave traces of his flight behind him; and, besides, he is not obliged to have his passport countersigned."
If you get it (which you may after a time), that memorial must be entered in that Department, sent to be registered in this Department, sent back to be signed by that Department, sent back to be countersigned by this Department, and then it will begin to be regularly before that Department.
My purpose was a run to Quebec in "Postal Packet 162 or such other as may be appointed"; and the Postmaster-General himself countersigned the order.
They spent a good deal of time, also, asleep in their accustomed corners, with their chairs tilted back against the walls; awaking, however, once or twice in the forenoon, to bore one another with the several thousandth repetition of old sea-stories and mouldy jokes, that had grown to be passwords and countersigns among them.