To balance against something else; to offset or compensate for by equal weight or importance.
From 'counter-' (against, to balance) and 'weigh,' from Old English 'wegan.' The term emerged in commerce and later philosophy to describe balancing competing factors.
When philosophers counterweigh moral principles against each other—like justice against mercy—they're using the same mental process as a scale balancing two sides.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.