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Glite Dictionary
🔄 To march back 🔄 A reverse march
to countermarch

to countermarch

9.6
March back together as a group, especially soldiers
  • verb
  • /ˈkaʊntərˌmɑːrʧ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : retroceder
  • As the drill sergeant shouted orders, the recruits countermarched to return to their original positions.

Examples

  • During the practice, the platoon countermarched in perfect synchronization to demonstrate their training.

  • As we brought up to an anchor, the band began to play the quickstep, and we saw the sailors marching and countermarching among the guns.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • The soldiers had to countermarch quickly to avoid being flanked by the enemy.

Synonyms

to back
vsto countermarch
475 1.0

To move in the direction behind you

is a collective, ordered reversal of direction by trained forces
to move back
vsto countermarch
283 1.7

To step away to an earlier place

is an organized group reversal of direction used by soldiers
to fall back
vsto countermarch
57 3.7

To move back to a safer place when facing danger

is an organized group reversal rather than a pressured retreat

Antonyms

to advance
417 3.4

To help something move forward or become better

Surface Forms

countermarch infinitive
countermarched past
countermarched past participle
countermarching present participle
countermarches third person singular

Morphology

countermarch = march (transparent) = counter + march

The prefix 'counter-' clearly indicates a reversal or opposition, making the meaning of reversing a march straightforward.

Etymology

Countermarch joins counter- meaning 'against' or 'reverse' and march meaning 'to walk in step', a bit like counterclockwise. So, to countermarch is to march back or change direction as a group, often used for soldiers.