[f. prec. sb.: cf. F. contreminer, It. contraminare, Sp. contraminar.]
1. Mil. a. intr. To make a countermine.
1583. T. Stocker, Civ. Warres Lowe C., I. 87 b. The enemy neuer gluing ouer vndermyning, caused the townes men also to plye it with countermyning as fast.
1591. Percivall, Sp. Dict., Contraminar, to countermine, Cuniculum aduersum agere.
1600. Holland, Livy, XXXVIII. vii. 986 b. They countermined directly against them.
1692. Capt. Smith’s Seaman’s Gram., II. ii. 91. He may be able … to Mine or Counter-mine under the same.
b. trans. To make a countermine against; to oppose or check by a countermine.
1684. J. Peter, Siege Vienna, 85. Whilst the Turks were working … under that part of the Ravelin … and that our Men were digging from above to countermine them.
1686. Lond. Gaz., No. 2159/1. Our Mines … were Countermined by the Enemy.
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 38, ¶ 13. A great Body of Miners are summoned to the Camp to countermine the Works of the Enemy.
1858. Froude, Hist. Eng., IV. 438. The mine was countermined.
c. In naval war: To lay down countermines.
1880–6. [see COUNTERMINING below].
2. fig. To defeat by a counter-plot.
1580. North, Plutarch (1676), 1003. Nero countermining her, presenteth his mother with many rich jewells.
1668. Dryden, Evening’s Love, IV. i. He knew you, Madam, and was resolv’d to countermine you in all your Plots.
1701. W. Wotton, Hist. Rome, 417. Maesa who was a very subtle Woman, still countermined all his Designs.
1794. Godwin, Cal. Williams, 107. I seem to myself perpetually on the brink of being countermined.
1863. Q. Rev., CXIV. 519. Cecil … did not countermine works of darkness with works of darkness.
¶ Erroneously for countermure.
c. 1592. Marlowe, Jew of Malta, I. ii. Though countermin’d with walls of brass.
1630. R. Johnson’s Kingd. & Commw., 289. These Walls are of faire and large squared stones, wel countermined with earth on the inside.
Hence Countermining vbl. sb. and ppl. a. Countermining cable, gear, etc., that used in laying and exploding sea-countermines.
1649. Roberts, Clavis Bibl., 325. Gods countermining of Hamans plot.
1654. R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, 298. Countermining Emulators.
1880. Athenæum, 21 Aug., 242/2. Experiments in countermining … exemplified by the submarine operations carried on last October.
1883. Daily News, 16 Nov., 6/6. The Admiralty, with the view of undertaking extensive torpedo experiments, have ordered … 20,000 yards of countermining cable.
1886. Pall Mall Gaz., 25 Aug., 4/1. Suitable countermining gear with which to destroy their own mines.
