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

“Up until this point, we have really seen most Republicans align with President Trump’s policies,” Adriel Orozco, senior policy counsel at the American Immigration Council, told me.

From Slate ● Aug. 18, 2026

Defence counsel Simon Gilbride argued that she could be dealt with by a substantial fixed jail term followed by a period of supervision in the community.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

Over the next three days, Sumner’s rigorous mathematical counsel included suggestions like “explore new frontiers” and “come up with more ideas.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 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

This was Herbert Dean’s counsel on race relations.

From "Bad Boy" by Walter Dean Myers

All of this counsels caution, which the Stop Insider Trading Act reflects.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 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

But in the days of Bilbo, and of Frodo his heir, they suddenly became, by no wish of their own, both important and renowned, and troubled the counsels of the Wise and the Great.

From "The Fellowship of the Ring" 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

“Do nothing for a while. the machine needs a update. the competiion is sleeker and better,” he counseled.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 15, 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

“This is what we shall do,” counseled Poet.

From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys

As part of the four-day, not-for-profit event, delegates from around the world will take part in workshops and be counselled by political, business and humanitarian figures.

From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2023

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

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

Now in their debate some had counselled that Minas Morgul should first be assailed, and if they might take it, it should be utterly destroyed.

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

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

“Reproductive goals counseling should be developmentally appropriate and designed to help adolescents reflect on their future aspirations related to relationships, childbearing, and family formation.”

From Slate ● Jul. 28, 2026

Tulane said the tool “has compromised our ability to discern which ‘Why Tulane’ responses are artificially polished,” according to a note the dean of admissions sent to the college’s counseling network.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

I also wish the resettlement program offered counseling for refugees.

From "How Dare the Sun Rise" by Sandra Uwiringiyimana

Another, also in his 20s, said he was promised trauma counselling but only had two sessions with a psychologist.

From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026

These staff link patients to money advice, housing help, trauma counselling, language support and physical activity programmes.

From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026

"Men tell us it can happen across services - in how care is delivered, in fertility clinics and in counselling."

From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026

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

From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026

Thus, an ordinary headache or the loss of a meal ought not to stop one from counselling another in order to keep him away from bad company.

From Moral Theology A Complete Course Based on St. Thomas Aquinas and the Best Modern Authorities by Charles Jerome Callan