counsel - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

• enPR: kounʹ-səl, IPA^(key): /ˈkaʊn.səl/
• Rhymes: -aʊnsəl
• Homophone: council

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

counsel (countable and uncountable, plural counsels or counsel)

1. 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.
2. Exercise of judgment; prudence.

   • 1594–1597, Richard Hooker, edited by J[ohn] S[penser], Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], London: […] Will[iam] Stansby [for Matthew Lownes], published 1611, →OCLC, (please specify the page):

     They all confess, therefore, in the working of that first cause, that counsel is used.

3. 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[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]:

     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[aniel] Ponder […], →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^[1], 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.)

4. Deliberate purpose; design; intent; scheme; plan.
5. A lawyer, as in King's Counsel (KC) or Queen's Counsel (QC).

• The prescribed plural is unchanged counsel in the sense “lawyer”, otherwise counsels.

• See also Thesaurus:advice

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

counsel (third-person singular simple present counsels, present participle counselling or counseling, simple past and past participle counselled or counseled)

1. (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.

2. (transitive) To recommend (a course of action).

   I would counsel prudence in this matter.

• See also Thesaurus:advise

• council

• conules, leucons, unclose

counsel

1. a secret opinion or purpose; a private matter