advice

[ ad-vahys ]

noun

1. an opinion or recommendation offered as a guide to action, conduct, etc.:

   I shall act on your advice.

   Synonyms: guidance, caution, warning, admonition

2. a communication, especially from a distance, containing information:

   Advice from abroad informs us that the government has fallen.

   Recent diplomatic advices have been ominous.

   Synonyms: word, intelligence

3. an official notification, especially one pertaining to a business agreement:

   an overdue advice.

   Synonyms: advisory, notice

advice

/ ədˈvaɪs /

noun

1. recommendation as to appropriate choice of action; counsel
2. sometimes plural formal notification of facts, esp when communicated from a distance

Other Words From

• pread·vice noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of advice¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; late Middle English advise; replacing Middle English avis (with ad- ad- for a- a- ⁵ ), Old French a vis (taken from the phrase ce m'est a vis “that is my impression, it seems to me”), from Latin ad ( ad- ) + vīsus “looking, sight” ( visage )

Word History and Origins

Origin of advice¹

C13: avis (later advise ), via Old French from a Vulgar Latin phrase based on Latin ad to, according to + vīsum view (hence: according to one's view, opinion)

Synonym Study

Advice, counsel, recommendation, suggestion, persuasion, exhortation refer to opinions urged with more or less force as worthy bases for thought, opinion, conduct, or action. Advice is a practical recommendation as to action or conduct: advice about purchasing land. Counsel is weighty and serious advice, given after careful deliberation: counsel about one's career. Recommendation is weaker than advice and suggests an opinion that may or may not be acted upon: Do you think he'll follow my recommendation? Suggestion implies something more tentative than a recommendation: He did not expect his suggestion to be taken seriously. Persuasion suggests a stronger form of advice, urged at some length with appeals to reason, emotion, self-interest, or ideals: His persuasion changed their minds. Exhortation suggests an intensified persuasion or admonition, often in the form of a discourse or address: an impassioned exhortation.

Example Sentences

Who do you turn to now when you have a decision to make, when you have one less person to provide validation or advice?

From The Daily Beast

The problem, though, is that this advice presumes that death threats are rare and abnormal.

From The Daily Beast

The Stormfront crowd offers its own helpful political advice, not only for Scalise but also for the entire GOP.

From The Daily Beast

The future Mr. Vergara—and star of ‘True Blood’ and ‘Magic Mike’ shares some life advice in an exclusive video.

From The Daily Beast

As a well-known advocate for Baluch rights in Iran, young Iranians reach out to him for advice.

From The Daily Beast

With childlike confidence he follows the advice of some more or less honest dealer.

From Project Gutenberg

Messa urges the king to send a new governor, and gives his advice as to the character of him who should be sent.

From Project Gutenberg

Hence Napoleon was driven more and more to trust to the advice of the rash, unstable King of Naples.

From Project Gutenberg

Yielding to the advice of his friends, he put on it a price the amount of which abashed him.

From Project Gutenberg

Terrified with this apparition, he consulted several friends, who advised him to take the advice.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• aid
• consultation
• encouragement
• guidance
• help
• information
• input
• instruction
• judgment
• lesson
• news
• opinion
• prescription
• proposal
• recommendation
• suggestion
• tip
• view
• warning
• word