- (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
- Counsel for the claimant argued that there had been no proper investigation.
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 cause any damage.
- 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
See counsel in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee counsel in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englisha 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.
Check pronunciation:
counsel