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counsel. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
counsel, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
counsel in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
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English
Pronunciation
Etymology 1
From Middle English counseil, conseil, from Old French conseil, from Latin cōnsilium; akin to cōnsulō (“take counsel, consult”).
Noun
counsel (countable and uncountable, plural counsels or counsel)
- The exchange of opinions and advice especially in legal issues; consultation.
1549 March 7, Thomas Cranmer [et al.], compilers, “The Introites, Collectes, Epistles, and Gospels to be Used at the Celebracion of the Lordes Supper & Holy Communion, throughe the Yeare: With Proper Psalmes, and Lessons for Diuers Feastes and Dayes”, in The Booke of the Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacramentes, , London: Edowardi Whitchurche , →OCLC, folio viia, recto:Bleſſed is that man that hath not walked in the counſaile of the vngodly: nor ſtand in the waye of ſynners, and hath not ſit in the ſeate of ſkornefull.
- Exercise of judgment; prudence.
1594–1597, Richard Hooker, edited by J[ohn] S[penser], Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, , London: Will Stansby , published 1611, →OCLC, (please specify the page):They all confess, therefore, in the working of that first cause, that counsel is used.
- Advice; guidance.
c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :I like thy counsel; well hast thou advised.
1678, John Bunyan, “The Author’s Apology for His Book”, in The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: , London: Nath Ponder , →OCLC; reprinted in The Pilgrim’s Progress (The Noel Douglas Replicas), London: Noel Douglas, , 1928, →OCLC:This Book will make a Travailer of thee, / If by its Counſel thou wilt ruled be; / It will direct thee to the Holy Land, / If thou wilt its Directions understand: / Yea, it will make the ſloathful, active be; / The Blind alſo, delightful things to ſee.
1990, Leung Yuen-sang, The Shanghai Taotai: Linkage Man in a Changing Society, 1843-90, University of Hawaii Press, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 58:Further, he suggested strategies and gave counsel to his superiors at Soochow and Ch'ang-chou. (The Governor-General resided temporarily in Ch'ang-chou after the Taiping capture of Nanking in 1853.)
- Deliberate purpose; design; intent; scheme; plan.
- A lawyer, as in King's Counsel (KC) or Queen's Counsel (QC).
Usage notes
- The prescribed plural is unchanged counsel in the sense “lawyer”, otherwise counsels.
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations
consultation
- Arabic: شُورَى f (šūrā)
- Armenian: խորհրդատվություն (hy) (xorhrdatvutʻyun)
- Bulgarian: обсъждане (bg) n (obsǎždane), съвещание (bg) n (sǎveštanie)
- Czech: porada (cs) f, konzultace (cs) f
- Finnish: neuvottelu (fi), neuvonpito (fi)
- French: conseil (fr) m
- German: Beratung (de) f
- Gothic: 𐍂𐌰𐌲𐌹𐌽 n (ragin)
- Latin: advocātiō f
- Macedonian: совету́вање n (sovetúvanje)
- Maori: waha kōrero
- Portuguese: consulta (pt) f
- Romanian: consultanță f, sfat (ro), povață (ro), sfătuire (ro), consultație (ro) f
- Russian: сове́т (ru) m (sovét), обсужде́ние (ru) n (obsuždénije), консульта́ция (ru) (konsulʹtácija), совеща́ние (ru) n (soveščánije)
- Spanish: consulta (es) f
- Turkish: danışma (tr), istişare (tr)
- Welsh: cyngor (cy) m
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Etymology 2
From Middle English counseilen, from Old French conseiller, from Latin cōnsilior, from cōnsilium.
Verb
counsel (third-person singular simple present counsels, present participle counselling or counseling, simple past and past participle counselled or counseled)
- (transitive) To give advice, especially professional advice, to (somebody).
- The lawyer counselled his client to remain silent.
- Psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and other mental health professionals counsel clients.
- (transitive) To recommend (a course of action).
- I would counsel prudence in this matter.
Synonyms
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
to give advice, especially professional advice
See also
Anagrams
Middle English
Noun
counsel
- a secret opinion or purpose; a private matter