counter
noun [ C ]
COMMERCE uk/ˈkaʊntər/ usthe place where customers go to be served or to buy goods in a store:
Please pay at the counter.
You will find rolls on the bread counter.
the checkout counter
He serves behind the counter at the local deli.
across/over the counter
goods or services that are sold or available over the counter can be bought or obtained without needing official permission, for example, from a doctor or someone in authority:
Bonds are sold over the counter, with prices quoted privately to the client.
Regulators declined permission for the remedy to be sold over the counter.
under the counter
goods or services that are sold or available under the counter can be bought or obtained secretly and sometimes illegally:
Pirate DVDs are available under the counter in pubs and clubs everywhere.
under-the-counter deals
See also
bargaining chip
bean counter
over-the-counter
trade counter