A ditch or fortified position dug in opposition to an enemy's trench, especially in siege warfare.
From counter- + trench. Trench comes from Old French trencher meaning 'to cut.' Countertrench developed in military terminology to describe opposing defensive positions.
In WWI trench warfare, soldiers literally dug countertrenchesto defend against enemy trenches—creating underground mazes where soldiers lived for months, separated from enemies by yards of mud.
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