counsel

Universal Words noun, verb noun [U,C] 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. 2 (law) a lawyer or group of lawyers representing sb in a court of law: to be represented by counsel * the counsel for the defence / prosecution * defence / prosecuting counsel * The court then heard counsel for the dead woman's father. seealsoKING'S/QUEEN'SCOUNSEL -< LAWYER IDIOMS a counsel of despair (formal) advice not to try to do sth because it is too difficult a counsel of perfection (formal) advice that is good but that is difficult or impossible to follow keep your own counsel (formal) to keep your opinions, plans, etc. secret: Emily doubted what he told her but kept her own counsel. verb (-ll-, AmE -l-) 1 [VN] to listen to and give support or professional advice to sb who needs help: Therapists were brought in to counsel the bereaved. 2 (formal) to advise sb to do sth: [VN] Most experts counsel caution in such cases. * [VNtoinf] He counselled them to give up the plan.