- (especially US English) a lawyer, especially one who can act for somebody in court
- The prosecuting attorney began with a short opening statement.
More About lawyerslawyerssee also district attorney- 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 Jobsc1, Law and justicec1- Acting on the advice of his attorney, he remained silent.
- Consult an attorney whenever you make a major decision affecting your estate.
- Her attorney filed a motion for an injunction.
- Attorneys argued that prosecutors never proved who sent the email.
- He fired his court-appointed attorney and began representing himself.
- Army attorneys argued for a general discharge.
- He hired a high-profile defense attorney to represent him.
- He is a practicing family law attorney with years of experience.
- Your attorney may advise you to accept a cash settlement.
- an attorney specializing in entertainment law
- He had a meeting with a leading Washington criminal defence attorney.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- defense
- prosecuting
- district
- …
- hire
- retain
- appoint
- …
- represent somebody
- practice something
- specialize in something
- …
- a person who is given the power to act for another person in business or legal matters
- She was made her father's attorney when he became ill.
- (South African English) a solicitor (= a lawyer who prepares legal documents and advises on legal matters)
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French atorne, past participle of atorner ‘assign’, from a ‘towards’ + torner ‘turn’.
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attorney