count
count — verb
1. to say numbers as they go up, one after another, or to add up items to arrive at
to say numbers as they go up, one after another, or to add up items to arrive at a final total
Élise taught her little brother to count from one to fifty before school started.
count from + number + to + number
The shopkeeper counted the money in the cash drawer at the end of her shift.
count + noun phrase (things being counted)
Selim asked the children to count how many red cars drove past the window.
Let me count how many guests have confirmed they are coming to the party.
The nurse counted the pills in each bottle before giving them to the patients.
文法句型
count + noun phrase
count + wh- clause
count from + number + to + number
用法筆記
Often used with a question word such as 'how many' or 'how much' to focus on finding a specific total.
常見錯誤
2. to find out how many people are present in a particular place, especially for of
to find out how many people are present in a particular place, especially for official records such as attendance or voting
After the fire drill, the teacher counted each student to make sure nobody was missing.
Volunteers stayed up all night counting the votes from the mayoral election.
count + votes (specific collocation)
The camp leader counts the children before and after every swimming session at the lake.
All the ballots were counted and the result announced this morning.
文法句型
be counted (passive)
count + noun phrase (people)
用法筆記
Commonly used in the passive voice when reporting official counts such as ballots or attendance figures. Subject is often an institution, official, or person in charge.
常見錯誤
3. to be important enough to be noticed or to have an effect on a situation or deci
to be important enough to be noticed or to have an effect on a situation or decision
Honesty counts more than money in a real friendship, as Talia soon discovered.
count more than — comparative structure
Every vote counts in a close election, so make sure you go to vote.
every + noun + counts — common collocation
Niran's opinion on music counts because he has worked as a sound engineer.
Mayumi cried over her exam results, but her coach told her that steady effort counts more than grades.
Experience counts for a lot in this profession, so new graduates often do internships first.
- matter
more common in everyday speech; direct synonym
- carry weight
more formal, used when someone's opinion or argument has influence
- signify
more formal and slightly old-fashioned
文法句型
count + adverb (a lot, more, most)
count + for + noun
用法筆記
Never used in the passive voice. Cannot take a direct object. Often appears with 'every' (every second/minute/dollar counts) to emphasise each unit matters.
常見錯誤
4. to have a particular opinion about someone or something, or to regard someone or
to have a particular opinion about someone or something, or to regard someone or something as belonging to a specific type or group
Ishaan counts his former teacher among the most inspiring people he has ever met.
count + noun + among + group
Food critics count this small noodle shop as one of the best in the city.
The coach counts hard work as the main reason for the team's recent success.
Nila counts herself lucky to have grown up in such a close and supportive family.
A player who misses three practices is counted as absent for the season.
文法句型
count + noun phrase + as + noun/adjective
count + noun phrase + among + noun phrase
count + reflexive pronoun + adjective
be counted as + noun/adjective
用法筆記
Frequently used with 'as' to introduce the description ('count someone as a friend'). The passive form ('is counted as') is common when describing categories or official classifications. Distinguish from sense 3: sense 4 requires an opinion about a specific person or thing, while sense 3 is about general importance.
常見錯誤
5. to include someone or something in a calculation or total when adding things up
to include someone or something in a calculation or total when adding things up
Did you count the delivery fee when you worked out the order total?
Twelve people are coming to dinner, not counting the children at a separate table.
not counting + noun — common excluding structure
Jenna forgot to count her night shifts when she calculated her monthly earnings.
The ticket price counts the bus ride from the airport, so you pay no extra.
文法句型
count + noun phrase
not counting + noun phrase
counting + noun phrase (participle)
用法筆記
Common in the participial forms 'counting' and 'not counting' to add or exclude items from a total. This sense often appears in price and budget contexts.
常見錯誤
count — noun
1. the process of checking how many things or people there are in a group by adding
the process of checking how many things or people there are in a group by adding them up, or the final number that is found after doing this
The final count showed that over 3,000 people had attended the festival.
Keep a careful count of how many tickets you sell each day.
collocation: keep a count of
By my count, we have already spent more than half of our travel budget.
The librarian did a quick count of the books returned that morning.
Every year the park ranger takes a count of deer living in the forest.
用法筆記
Common in fixed phrases such as 'keep count', 'lose count', and 'by my count'. The phrase 'take a count' is used when someone officially counts a group.
常見錯誤
2. the activity of adding up all ballots cast during an election so the winning can
the activity of adding up all ballots cast during an election so the winning candidate or party can be announced
The vote count continued late into the night at the town hall.
collocation: vote count
Volunteers stayed until midnight to finish the count of all postal ballots.
Christopher watched the election count on television with his family.
The first count showed a very small difference between the two parties.
用法筆記
Often used with 'vote' or 'election' as a modifier: 'vote count', 'election count'. A 'recount' is a second count done when the result is very close.
常見錯誤
3. an official record that tells you how many people or things there are in a place
an official record that tells you how many people or things there are in a place, or how often an event occurs
The museum keeps a daily count of visitors at the main entrance.
collocation: keep a count of
According to the official count, the factory produces around 2,000 boxes each hour.
The teacher's count showed that only 18 students came to class that morning.
A full count of library members is published every year in the annual report.
用法筆記
Often appears with 'keep', 'take', or 'do' to describe the action of recording something. Can also refer to a published figure such as an official census count.
常見錯誤
4. used only in the fixed expression 'lose count' — after something occurs a great
used only in the fixed expression 'lose count' — after something occurs a great many times, you stop keeping track and can no longer say exactly how often it has happened
I have lost count of how many times Rin has called me today.
phrase: lose count of
Sirin has visited Japan so many times that she has lost count.
The children had lost count of the sheep they spotted from the train window.
Hamza has lost count of the number of emails he sends each week.
- not keep track
less formal and more general — can be used for any information, not just repeated events
文法句型
lose count of + noun phrase
用法筆記
This sense only exists in the fixed expression 'lose count'. It always lacks the article — never write 'lose the count'. The object after 'of' can be a noun phrase ('lose count of the reasons') or a clause ('lose count of how many times').
常見錯誤
5. the amount of a particular substance or type of cell found in a sample after sci
the amount of a particular substance or type of cell found in a sample after scientific measurement, such as the number of red cells in a drop of blood or the number of pollen grains in the air
The doctor ordered a blood count to check the patient's white cell levels.
collocation: blood count
The pollen count is high today, so Ishaan stayed inside to avoid sneezing.
collocation: pollen count
A low red blood cell count can make a person feel very tired and weak.
The lab reported a higher bacteria count in the water than is permitted by law.
Doctors monitored the virus count in Indra's blood over several weeks of treatment.
- level
a more general word for the amount of a substance, not necessarily obtained by counting
- concentration
more technical — the amount of a substance relative to the total volume
用法筆記
Frequently appears in compound nouns: 'blood count', 'pollen count', 'cell count', 'sperm count', 'bacteria count'. The modifier before 'count' names the substance being measured.
常見錯誤
6. the moment when someone has spoken a particular number while counting, especiall
the moment when someone has spoken a particular number while counting, especially to mark when an action should happen
The children were told to hold their breath until the count of twenty.
pattern: until the count of [number]
At the count of three, everyone had to start running toward the finish line.
The diver waited for the count of five before jumping into the cold pool.
Piotr closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep before the count of a hundred.
文法句型
at the count of + number
at a count of + number
用法筆記
Almost always appears in prepositional phrases: 'at the count of', 'until the count of', 'before the count of'. The number following 'count' is typically a small round number or 'a hundred'.
7. in boxing, the ten-second count a referee starts when an athlete hits the mat du
in boxing, the ten-second count a referee starts when an athlete hits the mat during a match. If the fallen fighter cannot stand again before the official reaches ten, the bout ends with the other contestant declared the winner.
The referee reached the count of eight before Ziad managed to stand up again.
count of [number]; boxer rises before ten
Tunde was saved by the bell just as the referee's count hit ten.
count hits ten; end of match
The crowd held their breath as the count began after the boxer hit the canvas.
Boxers must get up before the referee finishes the count of ten.
Gita watched from ringside as the referee started the count over the fallen fighter.
- knockout count
specifies that the count leads directly to a KO result
- ten-count
less common; names the exact number of seconds called
用法筆記
Almost always used with the definite article: the count. Frequently paired with verbs like reach, finish, begin, start.
常見錯誤
8. in baseball, the current tally of pitches delivered to a batter, separated into
in baseball, the current tally of pitches delivered to a batter, separated into balls and strikes for their time at the plate. The count is voiced with balls first — for example, 'three and two' means three balls.
The batter faced a full count of three balls and two strikes.
full count = three balls, two strikes
With the count at two balls and one strike, Takeshi waited for a fastball.
count at [number] + [number]
Pitchers usually have the advantage when the count is in their favour.
Allison checked the count on the scoreboard before stepping into the batter's box.
A hitter protects the plate when the count reaches two strikes.
- ball-strike count
explicitly names both elements; common in coaching contexts
用法筆記
Often modified by adjectives: full count (3 balls, 2 strikes), even count (same number of balls and strikes), or a count in someone's favour.
9. a noble title in several European countries for a man whose social rank is simil
a noble title in several European countries for a man whose social rank is similar to that of an earl in Britain. This title is below a duke and above a baron.
The count hosted a formal dinner at his palace in the Italian countryside.
Astrid read a historical novel about a French count who married a commoner.
A count outranks a baron but not a duke or a marquis.
The count and his wife welcomed the visiting ambassador to their estate in Provence.
The title of count had been in that family for over two hundred years.
- earl
the British equivalent rank; used specifically for UK nobility rather than continental European
用法筆記
Used as a title before the name (e.g. Count Tolstoy). The female equivalent is countess. This sense is always a countable noun and is typically preceded by the or a.
常見錯誤
10. one of the separate offences itemised in a formal legal charge. A single indictm
one of the separate offences itemised in a formal legal charge. A single indictment may list several counts, each accusing the defendant of a distinct unlawful act.
The jury found the defendant guilty on all three counts of theft.
guilty on [number] count(s) of [crime]
Eve was arrested on a single count of breaking and entering.
The prosecutor added another count of fraud during the trial proceedings.
The accused driver faced a count of reckless driving after the accident on the highway.
Each count of the indictment was read aloud by the court clerk.
- charge
broader term; a charge may refer to the whole accusation while a count is one specific item within it
- allegation
more general; does not carry the same formal legal structure as 'count'
用法筆記
Typically used with a number or quantifier (three counts, several counts, each count) followed by of and the name of the offence. Frequently appears in legal documents and news reports about criminal trials.
常見錯誤
11. a particular issue, point, or opinion being discussed or argued about in a conve
a particular issue, point, or opinion being discussed or argued about in a conversation, debate, or formal discussion. People often say they agree or disagree on a given count.
On that count, Alessia and I see things exactly the same way.
on that count
The senator disagreed with his opponent on several important counts during the debate.
on [number] count(s)
Heloísa made a strong case, but on the final count the panel voted against her.
The two parties agree on every count except the budget proposal for education.
Tuan raised an interesting point on that count during the town hall meeting.
用法筆記
Almost always used in the prepositional phrase on + (that / this / a / another / several) + count. The phrase on all counts means 'in every respect' or 'on every point'.
常見錯誤
count — collocation
1. used when someone regards themselves as being in a particular (usually good) sit
used when someone regards themselves as being in a particular (usually good) situation or having a positive quality — for instance, if you say you count yourself lucky after a narrow escape, you believe fortune was on your side.
After the car accident, the Chang family counted themselves lucky to be alive.
counted themselves lucky — reflexive + adjective pattern
Élise counts herself fortunate to have found such a supportive mentor.
counts herself fortunate — possessive reflexive
Ayesha counted herself lucky that her flight landed before the snowstorm began.
The firefighters counted themselves blessed when the children were found safe.
Obi counted himself fortunate after his lost wallet was returned with everything inside.
- consider yourself
More general and less idiomatic; works with any adjective, not just positive ones (consider yourself warned vs. count yourself lucky).
- regard yourself
Slightly more formal; focuses on viewpoint rather than the idea of being fortunate.
- deem yourself
More formal and less common in everyday speech; suggests a deliberate judgment.
文法句型
count + reflexive pronoun + adjective
count + reflexive pronoun + that-clause
count + reflexive pronoun + noun phrase
用法筆記
Always used with a reflexive pronoun (yourself, himself, herself, themselves). Common adjectives in this pattern include lucky, fortunate, blessed, and privileged.