counsel

counsel

noun

Definition of COUNSEL

1

a person whose profession is to conduct lawsuits for clients or to advise about legal rights and obligations <if you cannot afford counsel, one will be provided for you>

Synonyms advocate, attorney, attorney-at-law, counsel, counselor (or counsellor), counselor-at-law, legal eagle

Related Words cocounsel; district attorney, prosecuting attorney, prosecutor, solicitor; criminal lawyer, mouthpiece [slang], public defender, trial lawyer; solicitor; jurist; lawgiver, lawmaker, legislator, solon; ambulance chaser, pettifogger, Philadelphia lawyer, shyster

2

an opinion suggesting a wise or proper course of action <I suggest you take the teacher's counsel>

Synonyms adjuration, admonishment, admonition, counsel, guidance, input

Related Words recommendation, suggestion; hint, pointer, tip; data, feedback, information; answer, solution; advisement, consideration, thought; alarm (also alarum), alert, caution, cautioning, expostulation, forewarning, remonstrance, remonstration, urging, warning; judgment (or judgement), observation, verdict; assistance, briefing, coaching, direction, instruction, mentoring, priming, prompting, teaching, tutoring; interference, kibitzing (also kibbitzing), meddling; moralizing, pontificating, preaching; exhortation, lecture, lesson, sermon, speech

3

a person who gives advice especially professionally <the toy manufacturer hired a public relations counsel to do some damage control>

Synonyms adviser (also advisor), consigliere, counsel, counselor (or counsellor)

Related Words authority, expert, pro, professional, specialist; confidant; cabinet, kitchen cabinet; sounding board

Near Antonyms counselee

4

an exchange of views for the purpose of exploring a subject or deciding an issue <she approved the move after a counsel with her advisers>

Synonyms argument, argumentation, argy-bargy [chiefly British], back-and-forth, colloquy, confab, confabulation, conference, consult, consultation, council, counsel, debate, deliberation, dialogue (also dialog), give-and-take, palaver, parley, talk

Related Words bull session, chat room, forum, meeting, powwow, roundtable, seminar, skull session (also skull practice), symposium, talkathon; chat, conversation, rap, words; discourse, disquisition; bargaining, consultancy, negotiation, pourparler