antimeter

plural antimeters

1. obsoleteA modification of the quadrant, for measuring small angles.

   A description of Mr. Garrard's Antimeter, or Reflecting Circle, may be seen in his pamphlet, published in 1785; and in the article Antimeter, by the Author of this work

   1809, Andrew Mackay, The Theory and Practice of Finding the Longitude at Sea Or Land, page 78

plural antimeters

1. A contrasting rhythm or meter that deliberately interrupts or clashes with the naturally expected metrical pattern.

   Blake and Dickinson looked in the same place for an anti-meter (Hollander's term) ; Blake's rough fourteeners employ a one-line adaptation of the meter Dickinson favored, the ballad or hymn stanza.

   2000, Annie Finch, The Ghost of Meter: Culture and Prosody in American Free Verse, page 18

   2 more examples

   The conflict between meter and antimeter is a critical aspect of the textural rhythm, and takes on significance as a rhetorical code that lends affective immediacy to the psychological drama of the recording.

   2013, Kevin Holm-Hudson, Progressive Rock Reconsidered, page 78

   Later, Shemtov speaks of "antimeter”. Here she could speak of “antistanza”, with one difference. Emily Dickinson does not indicate what metre she avoids, whereas Apollinaire clearly indicates what stanza form he does not choose. But, unlike the “antimeter", this has no relevance to a feminist agenda.

   2022, Reuven Tsur, Chen Gafni, Sound–Emotion Interaction in Poetry, page 356

comparative more antimeter · superlative most antimeter

1. Opposed to the use of meters (such as parking meters, water meters, etc.).

   By now the government realised that the anti-meter protesters were more than just the usual suspects like Bríd Smith and Paul Murphy.

   2019, Michael Brennan, In Deep Water

   2 more examples

   Hence, as might have been forseen, the few meters installed have not materially reduced the total wastage, and the antimeter people have been enabled to cry, I told you so!"

   1916 March 28, John C. Trautwine, Jr., “The Anarchism of Councils is Very Largely Responsible for Effects in Present Methods”, in Water and Gas Review, volume 26, number 9, page 10

   After being fined one dollar for overtime parking, Howard Henry launched an antimeter campaign which resulted in two referendunms in which voters outlawed them throughout the State.

   1962 June 28, William E. Miles, “Meters by the Mile”, in The Rotarian, volume 100, number 6, page 31