counsel

American  

[koun-suhl] / ˈkaʊn səl /

noun

• counsel,
  plural
• counsels
  plural

1. advice; opinion or instruction given in directing the judgment or conduct of another.

   Synonyms:

   suggestion, recommendation

2. interchange of opinions as to future procedure; consultation; deliberation.

3. Law. the advocate or advocates engaged in the direction of a cause in court; a legal adviser or counselor.

   Is counsel for the defense present?

   Synonyms:

   barrister, solicitor, attorney, lawyer

4. deliberate purpose; plan; design.

5. Theology. one of the advisory declarations of Christ, considered by some Christians as not universally binding but as given for aid in attaining moral perfection.

6. Archaic. a private or secret opinion or purpose.

7. Obsolete. wisdom; prudence.

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verb (used with object)

• counsels,
  present (3rd person singular)
• counseled,
  past participle,  past
• counselled,
  past participle,  past (especially British)
• counseling,
  present participle
• counselling
  present participle (especially British)

1. to give advice to; advise.

2. to urge the adoption of, as a course of action; recommend (a plan, policy, etc.).

   He counseled patience during the crisis.

verb (used without object)

• counsels,
  present (3rd person singular)
• counseled,
  past participle,  past
• counselled,
  past participle,  past (especially British)
• counseling,
  present participle
• counselling
  present participle (especially British)

1. to give counsel or advice.

2. to get or take counsel or advice.

idioms

1. keep one's own counsel, to conceal one's ideas or opinions; keep silent.

2. take counsel, to ask for or exchange advice, ideas, or opinions; deliberate; consult.

counsel British  

/ ˈkaʊnsəl /

noun

1. advice or guidance on conduct, behaviour, etc

2. discussion, esp on future procedure; consultation

   to take counsel with a friend

3. a person whose advice or guidance is or has been sought

4. a barrister or group of barristers engaged in conducting cases in court and advising on legal matters

   counsel for the prosecution

5. a policy or plan

6. Christianity any of the counsels of perfection or evangelical counsels , namely poverty, chastity, and obedience

7. excellent but unrealizable advice

8. private opinions or plans (esp in the phrase keep one's own counsel )

9. archaic wisdom; prudence

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verb

1. (tr) to give advice or guidance to

2. (tr; often takes a clause as object) to recommend the acceptance of (a plan, idea, etc); urge

3. archaic (intr) to take counsel; consult

counsel More Idioms  

1. see keep one's own counsel.

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Commonly Confused

See council.

See council

Synonym Usage

See advice.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• precounsel
  noun
• recounsel
  verb (used with object)
• counselable
  adjective
• counsellable
  adjective
• uncounseled
  adjective
• uncounselled
  adjective
• well-counseled
  adjective
• well-counselled
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• counsel
  plural
• counsels
  plural

Participles

• counseling
  present
• counselling
  present
• counseled
  past
• counselled
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• counsel
  simple
• counsels
  simple
• have counseled
  perfect
• have counselled
  perfect
• has counseled
  perfect
• has counselled
  perfect
• am counseling
  progressive
• am counselling
  progressive
• are counseling
  progressive
• are counselling
  progressive
• is counseling
  progressive
• is counselling
  progressive
• have been counseling
  perfect progressive
• have been counselling
  perfect progressive
• has been counseling
  perfect progressive
• has been counselling
  perfect progressive

Past

• counseled
  simple
• counselled
  simple
• had counseled
  perfect
• had counselled
  perfect
• was counseling
  progressive
• was counselling
  progressive
• were counseling
  progressive
• were counselling
  progressive
• had been counseling
  perfect progressive
• had been counselling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will counsel
  simple
• will have counseled
  perfect
• will have counselled
  perfect
• will be counseling
  progressive
• will be counselling
  progressive
• will have been counseling
  perfect progressive
• will have been counselling
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of counsel

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English noun counseil, from Anglo-French cunseil, Old French conseil, concile from Latin consilium “debate, advice, advisory body, plan,” equivalent to consil-, variant stem of consulere “to apply for advice” + -ium noun suffix; verb from Anglo-French cunseiler, Old French conseillier, from Late Latin consiliāre, derivative of consilium; see consult, -ium

Explanation

When you give counsel or counsel someone, you give advice. If your neighbor is suing you because your dog keeps eating his begonias, you might seek the counsel of a dog trainer or, if that doesn't work, a lawyer. You can get professional counsel — from a minister or psychiatrist or someone else trained in counseling — or you can get counsel from anyone you trust. You can ask your stylish friend to counsel you on your hairstyle, or you could write to Dear Abby for counsel on your lovelife. Counsel is also what you call a lawyer who represents you in court. In your begonia-eating dog case, your lawyer would be counsel for the defense.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

counsel counsels counseled counselled counseling counselling

“He is represented in the underlying criminal matter by the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office, appointed counsel to whom Nick has a right and who continues to represent him.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026

“It’s one thing if you’re going after Pablo Escobar,” said Steve Bunnell, a former DHS general counsel and senior intelligence adviser who handled voting fraud prosecutions during more than a decade at the Justice Department.

From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026

Chad Marlow, senior policy counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union, said Flock’s moves were generally positive but don’t go far enough.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

But Reform Wales' shadow counsel General Adrian Mason MS, who represents Clwyd, urged the Welsh government to seek outside help to speed up the process.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

‘I wish to help you. You need counsel in your hard choice. Will you not take mine?’

From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien

As Mr. Smil counsels, there is no speed to time itself.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026

At the same time, the new “Little House on the Prairie” counsels that independence is more of a tall tale than a reality for a nation healing from the wounds of conflict.

From Salon ● Jul. 11, 2026

As an employment attorney, Oswald counsels many clients who feel their jobs may go away.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 3, 2026

The benchmark index will get there, Goldman counsels, thanks to strong corporate earnings and other bullish factors.

From Barron's ● Jun. 3, 2026

Shall we make our counsels together against evil days, and repair our injuries with such good will that our estates shall both come to fairer flower than ever before?’

From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien

While we have counseled that speculating on earnings reports is gambling, it remains one of the most prevalent pastimes in the stock and options market.

From Barron's ● Apr. 28, 2026

Bannon counseled restraint, warning that public engagement would only extend the news cycle.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 6, 2026

Still, some Democrats counseled restraint in interpreting the results.

From Salon ● Feb. 3, 2026

“The last time the Chiefs won a Super Bowl, which was a half-century ago, the economy fell immediately into a recession,” Williams counseled.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 17, 2026

Morrie had counseled so many unhappy lovers in his years as a professor.

From "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom

With the rattled country shut down for Tisha B'av, the fast day mourning the destruction of two ancient Jewish temples in Jerusalem blamed by the sages on needless infighting, Israelis leaders counselled soul-searching.

From Reuters ● Jul. 27, 2023

In every family he’d ever counselled, his clients had accepted their own deaths.

From Slate ● Sep. 24, 2022

But friends allege that, while they told Khan to leave the marriage, others counselled her to stay in it.

From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2022

They meet once a month after nominations close on 31 January each year, counselled by a group of permanent advisers and other experts.

From The Guardian ● Oct. 8, 2021

Aragorn and Gandalf went now to the Warden of the Houses of Healing, and they counselled him that Faramir and Éowyn should remain there and still be tended with care for many days.

From "The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien

Colombia has activated a national network to offer counseling, both online and in person, to help people cope.

From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026

But for now, Chris and Diarra are in counseling.

From Salon ● Aug. 1, 2026

Parents and children received dietary counseling and nutrition education from the time the children were 7 months old through early adulthood.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 31, 2026

“Recipients must incorporate reproductive goals counseling as a core component of program implementation,” the new guidelines read.

From Slate ● Jul. 28, 2026

Within a few days, we had an informal online counseling service under way, trying to send kids who seemed to be in serious trouble to sympathetic parents or professionals.

From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz

Murray said he had lined up a job and arranged to start counselling sessions, but both were being held up by his lack of a home.

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026

"We offer everyone counselling to talk about it if they want to, just to… make sure they've got all the information they need to make that decision."

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026

Under UK law, fertility clinics must offer counselling before treatment, but it need not be free or ongoing.

From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026

Charlotte was diagnosed with PAS and needed counselling after replaying the haemorrhage "over and over" in her mind.

From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026

He foretold the outbreak of the revolutionary spirit in Germany and Austria, and was credited with counselling the abdication of Ferdinand in favour of Francis Joseph.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 2 "Gloss" to "Gordon, Charles George" by Various