English Reference
verb · noun

recount

v. · n.
US /ˌɹiˈkaʊnt/ re·count UK spelling recounted, recounting, recounts

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    v.to tell someone about an event or experience in a detailed way.

    v.to relate or narrate the particulars of an event or experience. Transitive — requires a direct object representing the story or event.

    Simple

    He sat by the fire to recount his adventures in the mountains.

    In context

    The witness was asked to recount the exact sequence of events leading up to the accident without omitting any minor details.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    v.to count something a second time to make sure the first count was correct.

    v.to perform a second or subsequent count, typically of ballots or physical inventory, to verify accuracy.

    Simple

    The clerk had to recount the money because the totals did not match.

    In context

    After the initial tally showed a difference of only ten votes, the committee decided to recount every ballot by hand.

    recalculatere enumerate
  3. 03 C1 Advanced Formal Law

    n.a second count of votes in an election when the first result is very close.

    n.a second or additional count of election ballots, often conducted when the margin of victory is extremely narrow.

    Simple

    The candidate demanded a recount after losing by only five votes.

    In context

    The legal team filed a petition for a manual recount, citing potential irregularities in the electronic scanning machines.

  4. 04 C2 Proficiency LiteraryArchaic

    n.a story or description of something that happened.

    n.a detailed account or narration of a past event. Primarily literary in modern usage.

    Simple

    Her recount of the journey was filled with beautiful descriptions of the sea.

    In context

    The historian provided a vivid recount of the battle, drawing heavily from the private journals of the soldiers involved.

So I said, ‘What is this?’ ‘Sir, this is our digital catapult system’”, Trump told the magazine in 2017, recounting a conversation he said he had with a US Navy officer.

The Guardian· 14 Aug 2026

From his home in the Alps, he proceeded to liaise with the collection’s curator, Tom Overton, sorting each item and recounting the wild stories behind them.

The Guardian· 10 Aug 2026

Etymology 1

From Old Northern French and Anglo-Norman recunter, variant of Old French reconter.

Etymology 2

From re- + count.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin xno recunter
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated