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counsel

Pronunciation: /ˈkaʊns(ə)l/

Translate counsel | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of counsel

noun

  • 1 [mass noun] advice, especially that given formally: with wise counsel a couple can buy a home that will be appreciating in value [count noun]:for the public, simple counsels of more patience are not enough
  • archaic consultation, especially to seek or give advice: he took much counsel with him
  • 2 (plural same) a barrister or other legal adviser conducting a case:the counsel for the defence

verb (counsels, counselling, counselled; US counsels, counseling, counseled)

[with object]
  • give advice to (someone):careers officers should counsel young people in making their career decisions
  • give professional help and advice to (someone) to resolve personal or psychological problems:he was being counselled for depression
  • recommend (a course of action):the athlete’s coach counselled caution

Phrases

a counsel of despair

an action to be taken when all else fails: not to build because we are short of doctors would be a counsel of despair

a counsel of perfection

advice that is ideal but not feasible: while it may be a counsel of perfection, it must be advisable for the insurer to attempt to investigate each claim

keep one's own counsel

say nothing about what one thinks or plans:she doubted what he said but kept her own counsel

take counsel

discuss a problem: the party leader and chairman took counsel together

Origin:

Middle English: via Old French counseil (noun), conseiller (verb), from Latin consilium 'consultation, advice', related to consulere (see consult). Compare with council

Spelling rule

Double the l when adding endings which begin with a vowel to words which end in a vowel plus l (as in travel): (counsels, counselling, counselled).

Do not confuse council with counsel. Council means 'a group of people who manage an area or advise on something' (the city council), whereas counsel means 'advice' or 'advise' (we counselled him on estate planning).

counsel in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of counsel in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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