re-count

A volunteer helps re-count the ballots after the election.

Definition

1. Noun:

   • A second counting: "re-count" refers to the process of counting something again, especially votes in an election to verify the initial tally.
   • An instance of recounting: It denotes the act or procedure of performing a fresh count.

2. Verb:

   • To count again: "re-count" means to count something a second time, typically to ensure accuracy or resolve a discrepancy.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • The election results were so close that a re-count was ordered. (A second counting of votes was required.)
  • The re-count confirmed the original winner. (The fresh tally verified the initial outcome.)

• Verb:

  • The officials had to re-count the ballots after a machine error was found. (They counted the votes again.)
  • Please re-count the money to make sure the total is correct. (Count the money a second time for verification.)

Advanced Usage

• "to call for a re-count": to demand a second counting of votes.

  • The losing candidate called for a re-count due to suspected irregularities. (They requested an official re-tally.)

• "to re-count the votes": to perform a second tally of ballots.

  • The committee decided to re-count the votes manually. (They did a hand recount.)

Variants and Related Words

• Recount (verb, different meaning): to tell a story or describe an event.
  • He recounted his adventures in detail. (He narrated his experiences.)
  • Note: "re-count" (with hyphen) is distinct from "recount" (without hyphen), which means to narrate.

Synonyms

• Tally: a count or calculation.
• Retally: to count again.
• Verification count: a count done to check accuracy.

Phrasal Verbs

• None specific to "re-count" as a verb; it is typically used as a single word or hyphenated compound.

Related Idioms

• "A recount of the votes": a common phrase in electoral contexts.
  • The recount of the votes took several hours. (The second counting process was lengthy.)

Additional Notes

• The hyphen in "re-count" distinguishes it from the verb "recount" (meaning to narrate). In formal writing, the hyphen is often retained to avoid ambiguity, though in informal usage, "recount" (without hyphen) may be used for both meanings.