Counsel

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle)
• HYPHEN: coun=sel

CIDE DICTIONARY

Counsel, n. [OE. conseil, F. conseil, fr. L. consilium, fr. the root of consulere to consult, of uncertain origin. Cf. Consult, Consul.].

•  Interchange of opinions; mutual advising; consultation.  [1913 Webster]

  "All the chief priest and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus, to put him to death."  [1913 Webster]
•  Examination of consequences; exercise of deliberate judgment; prudence.  [1913 Webster]

  "They all confess, therefore, in the working of that first cause, that counsel is used."  [1913 Webster]
•  Result of consultation; advice; instruction.  [1913 Webster]

  "I like thy counsel; well hast thou advised."  [1913 Webster]

  "It was ill counsel had misled the girl."  [1913 Webster]
•  Deliberate purpose; design; intent; scheme; plan.  [1913 Webster]

  "The counsel of the Lord standeth forever."  [1913 Webster]

  "The counsels of the wicked are deceit."  [1913 Webster]
•  A secret opinion or purpose; a private matter.  [1913 Webster]

  "Thilke lord . . . to whom no counsel may be hid."  [1913 Webster]
•  One who gives advice, especially in legal matters; one professionally engaged in the trial or management of a cause in court; also, collectively, the legal advocates united in the management of a case; as, the defendant has able counsel.  [1913 Webster]

  " In some courts a distinction is observed between the attorney and the counsel in a cause, the former being employed in the management of the more mechanical parts of the suit, the latter in attending to the pleadings, managing the cause at the trial, and in applying the law to the exigencies of the case during the whole progress of the suit. In other courts the same person can exercise the powers of each. See Attorney."  Kent.  [1913 Webster]

  "The King found his counsel as refractory as his judges."  [1913 Webster]

  "The players can not keep counsel: they 'll tell all."

In counsel, in secret. [Obs.] Chaucer. -- To keep counsel, or To keep one's own counsel, to keep one's thoughts, purposes, etc., undisclosed.

Syn. -- Advice; consideration; consultation; purpose; scheme; opinion.

Counsel, v. t. [OE. conseilen, counseilen, F. conseiller, fr. L. consiliari, fr. consilium counsel.].

•  To give advice to; to advice, admonish, or instruct, as a person.  [1913 Webster]

  "Good sir, I do in friendship counsel you
  To leave this place."  [1913 Webster]
•  To advise or recommend, as an act or course.  [1913 Webster]

  "They who counsel war."  [1913 Webster]

  "Thus Belial, with words clothed in reason's garb,
  Counseled ignoble ease and peaceful sloth."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Counsel, n. & v.
--n.
1 advice, esp. formally given.
2 consultation, esp. to seek or give advice.
3 (pl. same) a barrister or other legal adviser; a body of these advising in a case.
4 a plan of action.
--v.tr. (counselled, counselling; US counseled, counseling)
1 (often foll. by to + infin.) advise (a person).
2 a give advice to (a person) on social or personal problems, esp. professionally. b assist or guide (a person) in resolving personal difficulties.
3 (often foll. by that) recommend (a course of action).

Idiom

counsel of despair action to be taken when all else fails. counsel of perfection
1 advice that is ideal but not feasible.
2 advice guiding towards moral perfection. keep one's own counsel not confide in others. Queen's (or King's) Counsel Brit. a counsel to the Crown, taking precedence over other barristers. take counsel (usu. foll. by with) consult.

Etymology

ME f. OF c(o)unseil, conseiller f. L consilium consultation, advice

THESAURUS

Counsel

Dutch uncle, Polonius, admonisher, admonition, advice, advise, advise with, advisement, adviser, advising, advisor, advocacy, advocate, agent, aim, ambition, amicus curiae, animus, aspiration, attorney, attorney-at-law, backseat driver, bar, bargain, barrister, barrister-at-law, brief, briefing, brooding, buttinsky, call in, caution, caveat, coach, collogue, compare notes, confer, confer with, confidant, consideration, consult, consult with, consultant, consultation, contemplation, council, counselor, counselor-at-law, deliberate, deliberation, deputy, desideration, desideratum, design, desire, determination, direct, direction, discuss, discuss with, discussion, effect, exchange observations, exchange views, exhortation, expert, expostulation, fixed purpose, friend at court, function, guidance, guide, have conversations, hold conference, hortation, idea, instruct, instruction, instructor, intendment, intent, intention, intercessor, judgement, kibitz, kibitzer, lawyer, legal adviser, legal counselor, legal expert, legal practitioner, legal profession, legalist, lucubration, meaning, meddle, meddler, meditation, mentor, mind, monition, monitor, motive, mouthpiece, musing, negotiate, nestor, nisus, opinion, orienter, palaver, parley, plan, pleader, pleading, point, pondering, powwow, preceptist, prescribe, proctor, procurator, project, proposal, propose, prospectus, purpose, put heads together, reason with, recommend, recommendation, refer to, reflection, remonstrance, representation, resolution, resolve, revolving, rumination, sake, sea lawyer, self-styled lawyer, sit down together, sit down with, solicitor, speculation, striving, study, submit, suggest, suggestion, take counsel, take up with, talk over, teacher, thought, view, warning, weighing, will

ROGET THESAURUS

Counsel

Advice

N advice, counsel, adhortation, word to the wise, suggestion, submonition, recommendation, advocacy, advisement, exhortation, expostulation, admonition, guidance, instruction, charge, injunction, obtestation, Governor's message, President's message, King's message, Queen's speech, message, speech from the throne, adviser, prompter, counsel, counselor, monitor, mentor, Nestor, magnus Apollo, senator, teacher, guide, manual, chart, physician, doctor, leech, archiater, arbiter, reference, referment, consultation, conference, pourparler, recommendatory, hortative, dehortatory, admonitory, Int, go to!, give every man thine ear but few thy voice, I pray thee cease thy counsel, my guide, philosopher, and friend, 'twas good advice and meant, my son be good, verbum sat sapienti, a word to the wise is sufficient, vive memor leti, we, ask advice but we mean approbation, advice, counsel, adhortation, word to the wise, suggestion, submonition, recommendation, advocacy, advisement, exhortation, expostulation, admonition, guidance, instruction, charge, injunction, obtestation, Governor's message, President's message, King's message, Queen's speech, message, speech from the throne, adviser, prompter, counsel, counselor, monitor, mentor, Nestor, magnus Apollo, senator, teacher, guide, manual, chart, physician, doctor, leech, archiater, arbiter, reference, referment, consultation, conference, pourparler, recommendatory, hortative, dehortatory, admonitory, Int, go to!, give every man thine ear but few thy voice, I pray thee cease thy counsel, my guide, philosopher, and friend, 'twas good advice and meant, my son be good, verbum sat sapienti, a word to the wise is sufficient, vive memor leti, we, ask advice but we mean approbation.

VB advise, counsel, give advice, give counsel, give a piece of advice, suggest, prompt, submonish, recommend, prescribe, advocate, exhort, enjoin, enforce, charge, instruct, call, call upon, dictate, expostulate, admonish, advise with, lay heads together, consult together, compare notes, hold a council, deliberate, be closeted with, confer, consult, refer to, call in, take advice, follow advice, be advised by, have at one's elbow, take one's cue from.

Lawyer

N lawyer, attorney, legal counsel, counsel, counsellor, counsellor at law, attorney at law, jurist, legist, civilian, pundit, publicist, juris consult, legal adviser, advocate, barrister, barrister at law, King's or Queen's counsel, K, C, Q, C, silk gown, leader, sergeant-at-law, bencher, tubman, judge, bar, legal profession, bar association, association of trial lawyers, officer of the court, gentleman of the long robe, junior bar, outer bar, inner bar, equity draftsman, conveyancer, pleader, special pleader, solicitor, proctor, notary, notary public, scrivener, cursitor, writer, writer to the signet, S, S, C, limb of the law, pettifogger, vakil, legal beagle, legal secretary, legal assistant, law student, learned in the law, at the bar, forensic, esquire, esquired, banco regis.