A secondary or auxiliary engine designed to oppose, balance, or counteract the action of a primary engine.
From 'counter-' + 'engine' (from Old French 'engigne', meaning device). Engineering terminology for mechanical systems that use multiple engines in opposition for stability.
Aircraft with counter-rotating propellers use counterengines that spin opposite to each other—this cancels out torque and stabilizes the plane. It's how engineers solve real problems with elegant mechanical opposition.
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