A swinging movement made in opposition to another swing, or in sports, a return swing made after an opponent's swing.
From counter- + swing. Both elements are Germanic in origin; swing comes from Old English swingan. This compound is particularly common in golf, tennis, and martial arts terminology from the 20th century onward.
In tennis, the counterswing is how Roger Federer can hit a winner from a defensive position—instead of just blocking the ball back, he swings through it from the opposite direction with explosive power!
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