Count (kount), v. t. [imp. & p. p.Counted; p. pr. & vb. n.Counting.] [OF. conter, and later (etymological spelling) compter, in modern French thus distinguished; conter to relate (cf. Recount, Account), compter to count; fr. L. computuare to reckon, compute; com- + putare to reckon, settle, order, prune, orig., to clean. See Pure, and cf. Compute.] 1. To tell or name one by one, or by groups, for the purpose of ascertaining the whole number of units in a collection; to number; to enumerate; to compute; to reckon.
Who can count the dust of Jacob?
Num. xxiii. 10.
In a journey of forty miles, Avaux counted only three miserable cabins.
Macaulay.
2. To place to an account; to ascribe or impute; to consider or esteem as belonging.
Abracham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Rom. iv. 3.
3. To esteem; to account; to reckon; to think, judge, or consider.
I count myself in nothing else so happy
As in a soul remembering my good friends.
Shak.
To count out. (a) To exclude (one) from consideration; to be assured that (one) will not participate or cannot be depended upon. (b) (House of Commons) To declare adjourned, as a sitting of the House, when it is ascertained that a quorum is not present. (c) To prevent the accession of (a person) to office, by a fraudulent return or count of the votes cast; — said of a candidate really elected.
Syn. — To calculate; number; reckon; compute; enumerate. See Calculate.