A wheel that rotates in the opposite direction to another wheel, often used in machinery to create opposing motion.
From 'counter-' (opposite) + 'wheel' (circular object that turns). This technical term emerged in mechanical engineering to describe gears and wheels designed to rotate against each other.
Counterwheels are fundamental to watchmaking—the escapement mechanism uses opposing wheels to create the regular tick-tock that lets mechanical watches keep accurate time without electricity.
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