counsel
a lawyer or team of lawyers conducting a case
In more detail
1. (noun) advice or guidance given to someone
2. (noun) a lawyer who represents a client in court
3. (verb) to give advice or guidance to someone
Examples
- 1. She sought counsel from her mentor before making the decision.
- 2. The defendant's counsel argued the case in front of the judge.
- 3. A therapist counseled him on how to manage his anxiety.
How to use counsel
Counsel as advice is more formal and often weighty than simple advice, implying careful deliberation or professional wisdom. As a legal term, it refers to a lawyer or legal team representing a client. The verb means to advise or guide someone through difficult circumstances, commonly used in therapeutic or professional contexts.
Common phrases
- counsel of despair
- take counsel
- keep one's own counsel
- legal counsel
- outside counsel
Synonyms
advice · guidance · recommendation · attorney · lawyer
Word family
counselor · counsellor · counselling · counseling
A common mistake
Confusing counsel (advice or lawyer) with council (a group or assembly); also note the variant spelling counsellor (British) versus counselor (American).
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