countermarch

American  

[koun-ter-mahrch, koun-ter-mahrch, koun-ter-mahrch] / ˈkaʊn tərˌmɑrtʃ, ˌkaʊn tərˈmɑrtʃ, ˈkaʊn tərˌmɑrtʃ /

noun

1. a march back over the same ground.

2. a complete reversal of conduct or measures.

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verb (used without object)

1. to execute a countermarch.

verb (used with object)

1. to cause to countermarch.

countermarch British  

/ ˈkaʊntəˌmɑːtʃ /

verb

1. military

   1. to march or cause to march back along the same route

   2. to change the order of soldiers during a march

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noun

1. the act or instance of countermarching

2. a reversal of method, conduct, etc

Etymology

Origin of countermarch

First recorded in 1590–1600; counter- + march ¹

Example Sentences

And when the townspeople drive them out of town with a countermarch, it’s very moving.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 24, 2013

From a tense week of legal march and countermarch, political charge and countercharge, the U.S. emerged one big step behind its starting point.

From Time Magazine Archive

A year ago the comrades got orders to countermarch into the A.V.C.

From Time Magazine Archive

The diffuse spiritual legacy of Buddha, having survived the march and countermarch of conquerors in Asia, today commands perhaps 300 million faithful—it is typically Buddhist that estimates range from 100 million to 500 million.

From Time Magazine Archive

We now learned that the cause of our sudden countermarch was the raid of Early's cavalry, who had burned the city of Chambersburgh, and caused much destruction of property elsewhere.

From Three Years in the Sixth Corps A Concise Narrative of Events in the Army of the Potomac, from 1861 to the Close of the Rebellion, April, 1865 by Stevens, George T.