counsel

1 of 2

noun

coun·​sel ˈkau̇n(t)-səl How to pronounce counsel (audio)
1
a
: advice given especially as a result of consultation
He was unwise to reject my counsel.
b
: a policy or plan of action or behavior
2
3
a
archaic : purpose
b
: guarded thoughts or intentions
He was chary and given to keeping his own counsel.
4
a plural counsel
(1)
: a lawyer engaged in the trial or management of a case in court
(2)
: a lawyer appointed to advise and represent in legal matters an individual client or a corporate and especially a public body

counsel

2 of 2

verb

counseled or counselled; counseling or counselling ˈkau̇n(t)-s(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce counsel (audio) ; counsels

transitive verb

: advise
counselled them to avoid rash actions …George Orwell

intransitive verb

: consult
… I remember Englishmen, like the Colensos, who sat and counseled with us; but above all, I remember Coleridge-Taylor.W. E. B. Du Bois

Examples of counsel in a Sentence

Noun We seek counsel from the rich and powerful to learn their secret … Ken Tucker, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Feb. 2004
God had done a poor job, and Soaphead suspected that he himself could have done better. It was in fact a pity that the Maker had not sought his counsel. Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye, (1970) 1994
No matter how much time he is given, counsel would always like more, but the Chief Justice will not grant an extra minute unless the lawyer is responding to a question from the bench. Robert H. Bork, The Tempting Of America, 1990
Counsel were to be employed.  … And when the matter had been decided by the lawyers, Lord Fawn was to express his regret for having suspected his lady-love! Anthony Trollope, The Eustace Diamonds, 1871
You were unwise to reject my counsel. The student sought counsel from her teacher. She is serving as counsel for the defendant. All counsel are expected to obey the rules of the court. Verb He balked at authority and, according to Mr. Green, tuned you out if you tried to counsel him. David Grann, New Republic, 14 Feb. 2000
She had six children, whom she counseled and with great wisdom and patience. Erma Bombeck, The Best of Bombeck, (1965) 1967
I had counselled Catherine to dine upstairs, but as soon as he perceived her vacant seat he sent me to call her. Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights, 1847
He counsels people who are trying to quit drinking. concerned parents counseling about the problem of substance abuse in their community
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
President Biden sat for a two-day interview with then-special counsel Robert Hur in October. Washington Post Staff, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024 Over two days in October last year, Mr. Biden and a team of lawyers sat for the interviews with special counsel Hur and his investigators in the White House Map Room. Arden Farhi, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2024 Meanwhile, all eyes today will be on special counsel Robert Hur, who investigated President Biden’s mishandling of classified documents. Alexandra Banner, CNN, 12 Mar. 2024 Trainor was previously in-house counsel for Abrams Media and vice president of business and legal affairs for a sports-betting media startup co-founded by Kevin Garnett. Joe Otterson, Variety, 12 Mar. 2024 Counter-intuitively, Raymond said, even opposing counsel appreciated her. Ariane Lange, Sacramento Bee, 6 Mar. 2024 That's a big part of the group’s goal to connect more people to ASU’s research, said Kyle Siegal, executive director and chief patent counsel of Skysong Innovations. The Arizona Republic, 5 Mar. 2024 The primary will also decide the fate of Proposition 1, a statewide ballot measure that would provide $6 billion to treat and house homeless people, and a city of San Diego measure that would let the city auditor hire personal legal counsel. David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Mar. 2024 The concerns about Biden’s age exploded on February 8th, with the release of a report by the special counsel Robert Hur on the handling of classified documents, which Biden’s lawyers had reported after discovering them in his offices and garage. Evan Osnos, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024
Verb
For countless emerging artists, many of whom have become marquee names, Satter has been a guide, a sounding board and a goad at the most vulnerable moments in their careers, counseling them not just in how to make their films better, but in how best to get them in front of audiences. Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 He has been trained in counseling people in crisis and doing that for years. Journal Sentinel, 28 Feb. 2024 All of that is done in between giving vaccines, ringing up and counseling customers and answering questions about over-the-counter medications. Parija Kavilanz, CNN, 7 Feb. 2024 The parents returned to their jobs, and promised to get their son counseling within 48 hours. Gina Kaufman, Detroit Free Press, 5 Feb. 2024 Chaplains may soon be allowed to counsel children in Indiana public schools under a new Senate Bill that would allow school districts to hire clergy. Rachel Fradette, The Indianapolis Star, 25 Jan. 2024 Then students broke into pairs to practice counseling each other. Grace Rubenstein, STAT, 18 Jan. 2024 Community groups in Fresno and Bakersfield have unsuccessfully pushed to establish a tenant right to counsel. Calmatters, The Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2024 Peter Goldstein is the CEO of Exchange Listing, an advisory firm that counsels high-growth companies to list on senior stock exchanges. Peter Goldstein, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'counsel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English conseil, from Anglo-French cunseil, from Latin consilium, from consulere to consult

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of counsel was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near counsel

Cite this Entry

“Counsel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/counsel. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

counsel

1 of 2 noun
coun·​sel ˈkau̇n(t)-səl How to pronounce counsel (audio)
1
: advice given
2
: the act of deliberating or consulting
took counsel together
3
plural counsel : a lawyer who represents a person or group in a court of law

counsel

2 of 2 verb
counseled or counselled; counseling or counselling
-s(ə-)liŋ
1
: to give advice to
counsel a student on a choice of studies
2
: to seek advice : consult
counsel with friends

Medical Definition

counsel

1 of 2 noun
coun·​sel ˈkau̇n(t)-səl How to pronounce counsel (audio)
: advice given especially as a result of consultation

counsel

2 of 2 transitive verb
counseled or counselled; counseling or counselling -s(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce counsel (audio)
: to advise especially seriously and formally after consultation

Legal Definition

counsel

1 of 2 noun
coun·​sel ˈkau̇n-səl How to pronounce counsel (audio)
plural counsel
: lawyer: as
a
: a lawyer participating in the management or trial of a case in court
…to have the assistance of counsel for his defenseU.S. Constitution amend. VI
a right to counsel
b
: a lawyer appointed or engaged to advise or represent a client in legal matters (as negotiations or the drafting of documents) compare attorney

Note: A judge who has acted as counsel in a matter (as by advising an investigator) is disqualified from hearing the case.

counsel

2 of 2 transitive verb
counseled or counselled; counseling or counselling
: advise
Etymology

Noun

Old French conseil advice, from Latin consilium discussion, advice, council, from consulere to consult

More from Merriam-Webster on counsel

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