COVING

, in Building, si when houses are built projecting over the ground plot, and the turned projecture formed into an arch.

Coving Cornice, is one that has a large casemate or hollow in it.

COUNT-Wheel, is a wheel in the striking part of a clock, moving round once in 12 or 24 hours. It is sometimes called the locking-wheel, because it has usually 11 notches in it at unequal distances from one another, to make the clock strike.

COUNTER-Approaches, in Fortification, lines or trenches made by the besieged, where they come out to attack the lines of the besiegers in form.

Counter-Battery, a battery raised to play on another, to dismount the guns, &c.

Counter-Breast-Work, the same as Fausse-Braye.

Counter-Forts, Buttresses, or Spurs, are pillars of masonry serving to prop or sustain walls, or terraces, subject to bulge, or be thrown down.

Counter-Fugue, in Music, is when fugues proceed contrary to one another

Counter-Guard, in Fortification, a work commonly serving to cover a bastion. It is composed of two faces, forming a salient angle before the flanked angle of a bastion.

Counter-Harmonical. See Contra-HARMONICAL.

Counter-Mine, a subterraneous passage, made by the besieged, in search of the enemy's mine, to give air to it, to take away the powder; or by any other means to frustrate the effect of it.

Counter-Part, a term in Music, only denoting that one part is opposite to another, so, the bass and treble are counterparts to each other.

Counter-Point, in Music, the art of composing harmony; or disposing and concerting several parts so together, as that they may make an agreeable whole.

Counter-Poise, any thing serving to weigh against another; particularly a piece of metal, ufually of brass or iron, making an appendage to the Roman statera, or steel-yard. It is contrived to slide along the beam; and from the division at which it keeps the balance in equilibrio, the weight of the body is determined. It is sometimes called the pear, on account of its sigure; and mass, by reason of its weight.

Rope-dancers make use of a pole by way of counterpoise, to keep their bodies in equilibrio.