counsel
noun /ˈkaʊnsl/
/ˈkaʊnsl/
[uncountable, countable]Idioms - (formal) advice, especially given by older people or experts; a piece of advice
- Listen to the counsel of your elders.
- In the end, wiser counsels prevailed.
- He is there to give you counsel on all matters.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- good
- wise
- give (somebody)
- offer (somebody)
- provide
- …
- prevail
- counsel on
- a counsel of despair
- (law) a lawyer or group of lawyers representing somebody in court
- to be represented by counsel
- the counsel for the defence/prosecution
- defence/prosecuting counsel
- The court then heard counsel for the dead woman's father.
Wordfinder- accuse
- appeal
- counsel
- defendant
- evidence
- justice
- offence
- plea
- prosecution
- trial
Collocations Criminal justiceCriminal justiceBreaking the lawsee also Queen’s Counsel- break/violate/obey/uphold the law
- be investigated/arrested/tried for a crime/a robbery/fraud
- be arrested/ (especially North American English) indicted/convicted on charges of rape/fraud/(especially US English) felony charges
- be arrested on suspicion of arson/robbery/shoplifting
- be accused of/be charged with murder/(especially North American English) homicide/four counts of fraud
- face two charges of indecent assault
- admit your guilt/liability/responsibility (for something)
- deny the allegations/claims/charges
- confess to a crime
- grant/be refused/be released on/skip/jump bail
- stand/await/bring somebody to/come to/be on trial
- take somebody to/come to/settle something out of court
- face/avoid/escape prosecution
- seek/retain/have the right to/be denied access to legal counsel
- hold/conduct/attend/adjourn a hearing/trial
- sit on/influence/persuade/convince the jury
- sit/stand/appear/be put/place somebody in the dock
- plead guilty/not guilty to a crime
- be called to/enter (British English) the witness box
- take/put somebody on the stand/(North American English) the witness stand
- call/subpoena/question/cross-examine a witness
- give/hear the evidence against/on behalf of somebody
- raise/withdraw/overrule an objection
- reach a unanimous/majority verdict
- return/deliver/record a verdict of not guilty/unlawful killing/accidental death
- convict/acquit the defendant of the crime
- secure a conviction/your acquittal
- lodge/file an appeal
- appeal (against)/challenge/uphold/overturn a conviction/verdict
- pass sentence on somebody
- carry/face/serve a seven-year/life sentence
- receive/be given the death penalty
- be sentenced to ten years (in prison/jail)
- carry/impose/pay a fine (of $3 000)/a penalty (of 14 years imprisonment)
- be imprisoned/jailed for drug possession/fraud/murder
- do/serve time/ten years
- be sent to/put somebody in/be released from jail/prison
- be/put somebody/spend X years on death row
- be granted/be denied/break (your) parole
More About lawyerslawyers- Lawyer is a general term for a person who is qualified to advise people about the law, to prepare legal documents for them and/or to represent them in a court of law.
- In England and Wales, a lawyer who is qualified to speak in the higher courts of law is called a barrister. In Scotland a barrister is called an advocate.
- In North American English attorney is a more formal word used for a lawyer and is used especially in job titles:
- the District Attorney
- Counsel is the formal legal word used for a lawyer who is representing someone in court:
- counsel for the prosecution
- Solicitor is the British English term for a lawyer who gives legal advice and prepares documents, for example when you are buying a house, and sometimes has the right to speak in a court of law.
- In North American English solicitor is only used in the titles of some lawyers who work for the government:
- the Solicitor General
- A notary is a person, often but not necessarily a lawyer, who has official authority to be a witness when somebody signs a document and to make the document legally acceptable.
Extra ExamplesTopics Law and justicec2- He instructed his counsel to file bankruptcy proceedings.
- He worked for the committee as legislative counsel on issues of crime policy.
- His counsel argued that he had not intended to harm the women.
- Lawyers do not usually interrupt opposing counsel during closing arguments.
- My solicitor will brief the senior counsel.
- She is general counsel for the American Bankers Association.
- She is lead counsel for the plaintiffs in the case.
- The accused was represented by a leading counsel.
- The witness was cross-examined by the prosecuting counsel.
- the counsel for the defence/defense.
- Williams is the leading counsel for the victims' groups.
- the lead counsel
- They were denied legal counsel or the right to call witnesses in their defence.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- legal
- chief
- lead
- …
- appoint
- hire
- retain
- …
- represent somebody
- cross-examine somebody
- question somebody
- …
- counsel for
Word OriginMiddle English: via Old French counseil (noun), conseiller (verb), from Latin consilium ‘consultation, advice’, related to consulere ‘take counsel’. Compare with council.
Idioms
a counsel of despair
- (formal) advice not to try to do something because it is too difficultTopics Suggestions and advicec2
a counsel of perfection
- (formal) advice that is good but that is difficult or impossible to followTopics Suggestions and advicec2
keep your own counsel
- (formal) to keep your opinions, plans, etc. secret
- Emily doubted what he told her but kept her own counsel.