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Agency vs Attorney - What's the difference?

agency | attorney |

As nouns the difference between agency and attorney

is that agency is the capacity, condition, or state of acting or of exerting power; action or activity; operation while attorney is (us) a lawyer; one who advises or represents others in legal matters as a profession.

agency

English

(Webster 1913)

Noun

(agencies)
  • The capacity, condition, or state of acting or of exerting power; action or activity; operation.
  • The superintendence and agency of Providence in the natural world. --Woodward.
  • A person or thing through which power is exerted or an end is achieved: instrumentality, means.
  • The office or function of an agent; also, the relationship between a principal and that person's agent.
  • An establishment engaged in doing business for another; also, the place of business or the district of such an agency.
  • A department or other administrative unit of a government; also, the office or headquarters of, or the district administered by such unit of government.
  • Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
    Central Intelligence Agency

    Synonyms

    * action * operation * efficiency * instrumentality * management

    Derived terms

    {{der3, dating agency , employment agency , escort agency , introduction agency , news agency , press agency , relief agency , syndication agency , travel agency}}

    attorney

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (US) A lawyer; one who advises or represents others in legal matters as a profession.
  • An agent or representative authorized to act on someone else's behalf.
  • Usage notes

    * In the "agent" sense, the word is now used to refer to nonlawyers usually only in fixed phrases such as attorney-in-fact or power of attorney.

    Synonyms

    * mouthpiece (slang) * advocate

    Derived terms

    () * attorney general * attorney-in-fact * attorney-at-law * patent attorney * power of attorney (POA) * trade mark attorney