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counsel

n. · v.
US //ˈkaʊnsəɫ// UK //kˈaʊnsəl// coun·sel
  1. 1 advice or guidance (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    advice or guidance given to someone, especially by a person with authority or wisdom.

    advice or guidance, particularly that which is given formally or after careful deliberation.

    Example

    I am grateful for my grandfather's wise counsel during that difficult time.

    Example

    The young king relied heavily on the counsel of his senior ministers to navigate the complex diplomatic crisis.
    Pitfall
    He gave me some good counsels.
    He gave me some good counsel.

    In the sense of advice, 'counsel' is often uncountable and does not take a plural 's'.

  2. 2 a lawyer (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Law

    a lawyer or a group of lawyers who represent someone in a court of law.

    a legal advocate or barrister conducting a case in court; often used as a collective noun for a legal team.

    Example

    The defendant sat quietly while his counsel addressed the judge.

    Example

    The prosecution's counsel argued that the evidence clearly demonstrated a premeditated attempt to defraud the investors.
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  1. 3 to give advice (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to give professional advice to someone, especially about personal or legal problems.

    to provide professional guidance or advice to an individual; frequently used in psychological or legal contexts.

    Example

    The school has a specialist who can counsel students about their future careers.

    Example

    Trained professionals were brought in to counsel the survivors of the disaster and help them process the trauma.

    Usage

    This verb is transitive and requires a direct object representing the person being advised.
  2. 4 to recommend an action (v.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    to suggest or recommend that someone should do a specific thing.

    to recommend or advocate for a specific course of action.

    Example

    Most experts counsel patience when investing in the stock market.

    Example

    The board of directors counselled caution, suggesting that the company should wait for more stable market conditions before expanding.
Etymology 1

From Middle English counseil, conseil, from Old French conseil, from Latin cōnsilium; akin to cōnsulō (“take counsel, consult”).

Etymology 2

From Middle English counseilen, from Old French conseiller, from Latin cōnsilior, from cōnsilium.

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