what does "over" mean?

[Bin Duan]

A counter means a long flat surface over which goods are sold or business is done in a store, bank, etc.
This is the definition I copyed from a dictionary.
What does "over" mean?
Does that mean "on top of something?"

 

[Barque]

It roughly means "across". Normal dealings are done over the counter. People speak to each across the counter, they give each other things across the counter, they put things on the counter for the other person to take or look at.

 

[emsr2d2]

This is the definition I copied from a dictionary.

Note my spelling correction above and please tell us which dictionary you took the definition from.

 

[Bin Duan]

It roughly means "across". Normal dealings are done over the counter. People speak to each across the counter, they give each other things across the counter, they put things on the counter for the other person to take or look at.

Can I regard it as "from one side to the other side of something or someone"?

 

[emsr2d2]

If that helps you to understand it, yes. In a small shop (rather than a supermarket, which has a different system), goods are passed (by the customer) from one side of the counter to the other side (for the person on the till to scan), and then passed back over the counter for the customer to put in their bag.

You still need to tell us which dictionary you got it from.

 

[Barque]

It means "over" combined with "from one side to the other side". Don't try to take it too literally. Try to imagine how people deal with each other from opposite sides of a counter.

 

[Bin Duan]

If that helps you to understand it, yes. In a small shop (rather than a supermarket, which has a different system), goods are passed (by the customer) from one side of the counter to the other side (for the person on the till to scan) , and then passed back over the counter for the customer to put in their bag.

You still need to tell us which dictionary you got it from.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary 9th edition, this is where the definition I get from.
I copied the meaning from this one.
I use all kinds of ESL English dictionaries such as Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary, Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary, Macmillan English Dictionary 2nd Edition and what not.
The reason why I choose to dwell on the meaning from dictionaries is that I have to put them on my notebook and take a review next day.
I don't want to pick up the wrong meaning in case next time I come across them in the near future.

 

[emsr2d2]

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary 9th edition , this is where I got the definition from. I get from.
I copied the meaning definition from this one it.

I use all kinds of ESL English dictionaries, such as Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary, Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary and Macmillan English Dictionary 2nd Edition. and what not.

The reason why I choose to dwell focus/concentrate on the meaning from dictionaries is that I have to put them on in my notebook and take a review them the next day.

I don't want to pick up learn the wrong meaning in case because that will cause a problem the next time I come across them the word/phrase. in the near future.

Please note my corrections above.

Why do you "have to" put the definitions in your notebook? Who is forcing you to do this?

 

[Bin Duan]

Please note my corrections above.

Why do you "have to" put the definitions in your notebook? Who is forcing you to do this?

The reason I choose to concentrate on the definitions from these dictionaries is that I need to put them in my notebook for the purpose of reviewing them the next morning, which is a good way to help me enlarge the vocabulary in the long run. Well, I’m not sure this is going to work, but I’m willing to try.

 

[emsr2d2]

The reason I choose to concentrate on the definitions from these dictionaries is that I need to put them in my notebook for the purpose of reviewing them to review the next morning, which is a good way to helps me enlarge the my vocabulary. in the long run. Well, I’m not sure this is going to work, but I’m willing to try.

That's fine. What I was trying to get at was that saying you "have to" put them in your notebook made it sound as if it was some kind of assignment given to you by your English teacher.

 

[Tarheel]

A counter is a long flat surface over which goods are sold or business is done in a store, bank, etc.
This is the definition I copied from a dictionary.
What does "over" mean?
Does that mean "on top of something?"

The definition explains what a counter is. You see them in every retail establishment you go into. It hardly needs explanation.

 

[emsr2d2]

I don't think anyone was trying to give further explanation of what a counter is, but why the word "over" is the appropriate word for how things "travel" across a counter.