- 1(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.
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- 2(law) a lawyer or group of lawyers representing someone in court to be represented by counsel the counsel for the defense/prosecution defense/prosecuting counsel The court then heard counsel for the dead woman's father. Topic CollocationsCriminal Justicebreaking the law
- break/violate/obey/uphold the law
- be investigated/arrested/tried for a crime/a robbery/fraud
- be arrested/indicted/convicted on felony charges/on charges of rape/fraud
- be arrested on suspicion of arson/robbery/shoplifting
- be accused of/be charged with murder/homicide/four counts of fraud
- face two charges of assault and battery
- admit your guilt/liability/responsibility (for something)
- deny the allegations/claims/charges
- confess to a crime
- be granted/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/advise a jury
- stand/appear/be brought before a judge
- plead guilty/not guilty to a crime
- be called to/take/put somebody on the stand/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 guilty/not guilty
- convict/acquit the defendant of the crime
- secure a conviction/your acquittal
- lodge/file an appeal
- appeal (against)/challenge/uphold/overturn a conviction/verdict
- sentence somebody to 5 years in prison/2 years' probation
- 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 13 years on death row
- be granted/be denied/violate (your) parole
- ⇨ more collocations at crime
- 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.
- Attorney is a more formal word used for a lawyer and is used especially in job titles:district attorney
- Counsel is the formal legal word used for a lawyer who is representing someone in court:counsel for the prosecution
- After a lawyer passes the exam allowing him or her to represent someone in court in a particular state, you say that he or she has passed the bar or is a member of the bar in that state.
Idioms
to keep your opinions, plans, etc. secret Emily doubted what he told her but kept her own counsel.
Check pronunciation: counsel