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countdown

 - 2 dictionary results

count⋅down

[kount-doun]
–noun
1. the backward counting in fixed time units from the initiation of a project, as a rocket launching, with the moment of firing designated as zero.
2. the final preparations made during this period.
3. a period of increasing activity, tension, or anxiety, as before a deadline.

Origin:
1950–55, Americanism; n. use of v. phrase count down
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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count·down   (kount'doun')   
n.  
  1. The counting backward aloud from an arbitrary starting number to indicate the time remaining before an event or operation, such as the launching of a missile or space vehicle.

  2. The checks and preparations carried out during this activity.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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