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Counsel vs Attorney - What's the difference?

counsel | attorney |

As nouns the difference between counsel and attorney

is that counsel is the exchange of opinions and advice; consultation while attorney is a lawyer; one who advises or represents others in legal matters as a profession.

As a verb counsel

is to give advice, especially professional advice.

counsel

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • The exchange of opinions and advice; consultation.
  • * Bible, Matthew xxvii. 1
  • All the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus, to put him to death.
  • Exercise of judgment; prudence.
  • * Hooker
  • They all confess, therefore, in the working of that first cause, that counsel is used.
  • Advice; guidance.
  • * Shakespeare
  • I like thy counsel ; well hast thou advised.
  • * Tennyson
  • It was ill counsel had misled the girl.
  • Deliberate purpose; design; intent; scheme; plan.
  • * Bible, Psalms xxxiii. 11
  • The counsel of the Lord standeth forever.
  • * Bible, Proverbs xii. 5
  • The counsels of the wicked are deceit.
  • (obsolete) A secret opinion or purpose; a private matter.
  • * Gower
  • thilke lord to whom no counsel may be hid
  • A lawyer, as in Queen's Counsel (QC).
  • Synonyms

    * See also

    Verb

  • To give advice, especially professional advice.
  • The lawyer counselled his client to remain silent.
    Psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and other mental health professionals counsel clients.
  • To recommend
  • Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * keep one's counsel * keep one's own counsel

    See also

    * council

    Anagrams

    *

    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