country

noun

1. 1

   The territory of a nation; a sovereign state or a region once independent and still distinct in institutions, language, etc.

   By one o'clock the place was choc-a-bloc. […] The restaurant was packed, and the promenade between the two main courts and the subsidiary courts was thronged with healthy-looking youngish people, drawn to the Mecca of tennis from all parts of the country.

   It is a beautiful country of rolling hills, fertile valleys, and a thousand rivers and streams which keep the landscape green even in winter.

   These days corporate Germany looks rather different. Volkswagen, the country’s leading carmaker, wants to be the world’s biggest by 2018.

   The ability to shift profits to low-tax countries by locating intellectual property in them, which is then licensed to related businesses in high-tax countries, is often assumed to be the preserve of high-tech companies.

2. 2

   An area of land of undefined extent; a region, a district.

   We walk along flat, open country, red dirt and spinifex grass, a few short trees[…].

3. 3

   An area of land of undefined extent; a region, a district. An area of land of indefinite extent or of more or less definite extent in relation to human occupation, especially characterized by its particular physical features, or its suitability for a particular activity or connected with its population (by race, dialect, culture, etc.) or a person, especially a writer, or their works.

   Thomas Hardy country

   Hikers love the wild country that lies northwest of this river confluence.

   Since this was rebel country, checkpoints were set up along the road.

   This is condor country – the only region this far east where you can see the magnificent vulture – and a small national park straddling the passes, El Condorito, is a good stopover for walkers and birders.

4. 4

   A rural area, as opposed to a town or city; the countryside.

   I was borne and brought up in the Countrie, and amidst husbandry[…].

   Joyce Barnaby: You don't kill someone because they made you redundant. DCI Tom Barnaby: Not in the town, dear, but this is the country. And, in the country, anything goes.

   I have always thought that one of the main reasons for the popularity of blood sports in the country is the pointlessness of going outdoors with no purpose or destination in mind.

   She grew up in Chang-hua, a city in central Taiwan with a decidedly country flavor.

5. 5

   The inhabitants or people of a district, region, or nation; the populace, the public.

   a scandal that rocked the country

   For all the country, in a general voice, Cried hate upon him.

6. 6

   Traditional lands of Indigenous people with embedded cultural, spiritual, cosmological, ecological, and physical attributes and values.

   "Me like my country — no much too hot, no much too cold. By and bye, white fellow come — soldier-man come. White fellow say, this our land, that our land — ALL country our land. Black fellow say no! my country no white fellow's country, and black fellow take spear.

   "It demonstrates that having Indigenous people on country managing their lands, delivering environmental benefits for all Australians is an important asset for the national good."

   Milgin says living on country, with elders, makes Aboriginal people "strong". That's backed up by a 2011 report on Aboriginal homelands by Amnesty International that found that living on homelands was connected to better health outcomes and drug rehabilitation.

   What country do you live/work on? I work on Yuggera Yuggarapul country and I'm from Darwin, Larrakia country.

7. 7

   informalThe spirit of the country (rural places): the spirit of country folkways; those folkways.

   You can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the boy.

8. 8

   The rock through which a vein of ore or coal runs.

9. 9

   Variant of country musicEllipsis of country music.

   a country song

   a country singer

   a country festival

adjective

1. 1

   From or in the countryside, connected with it, or typical of it.

   Things around here are just a little more country than what he's used to.

   When this conversation was repeated in detail within the hearing of the young woman in question, and undoubtedly for his benefit, Mr. Trevor threw shame to the winds and scandalized the Misses Brewster then and there by proclaiming his father to have been a country storekeeper.

2. 2

   Of or connected to country music.

   They're mainly a hard rock band, but their new album sounds kinda country to me.

3. 3

   Originating in India rather than being imported from abroad.

   We have seen that the Company manufactured silk stuffs at three of its Residencies, but from country-wound silk.

   A reference to the Annual Administration Reports of the Department of Horse-breeding Operations […] will allow of the opinion being arrived at, that the breed of country horses under the present regime is steadily improving.

   Country harness costs nearly as much, lasts half the time, and is in every respect inferior. It is understood that the only reason is that the Court desires to improve and encourage Indian manufactures.

Forms

plural

countries

comparative

countrier, more country

superlative

countriest, most country