Adjacent Words

Council definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

COUNCIL, n. [L., to call, Gr. See Hold. This word is often confounded with counsel, with which it has no connection. Council is a collection or assembly.]
1. An assembly of men summoned or convened for consultation, deliberation and advice.
The chief priest and all the council sought false witness. Matthew 20.
The kings of England were formerly assisted by a grand council or peers.
The word is applicable to any body of men, appointed or convened for consultation and advice, in important affairs; as, a council of divines or clergymen, with their lay delegates; a council of war, consisting of the principal officers, to advise the commander in chief or admiral; a council of physicians, to consult and advise in difficult cases of disease.
2. A body of men specially designated to advise a chief magistrate in the administration of the government, as in Great Britain.
3. In some of the American states, a branch of the legislature, corresponding with the senate in other states, and called legislative council.
4. An assembly of prelates and doctors, convened for regulating matters of doctrine an discipline in the church.
5. Act of deliberation; consultation of a council.
Common-Council of a city. In London, a court consisting of the lord mayor and aldermen in one house, and of representatives of the several wards, called common-council-men, in the other. But more generally the common-council is considered as the body of representatives of the citizens, as distinct from the mayor and aldermen. Thus in Connecticut, the cities are incorporated by the name of the The Mayor, Aldermen, Common-Council and Freemen, of the city of Hartford, New-Haven, etc.
Ecumenical Council, in church history, a general council or assembly of prelates and doctors, representing the whole church; as the council of Nice, of Ephesus, and of Chalcedon.
Privy Council, a select council for advising a king in the administration of the government.
Aulic Council. [See Aulic.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a body serving in an administrative capacity; "student council"
2: (Christianity) an assembly of theologians and bishops and other representatives of different churches or dioceses that is convened to regulate matters of discipline or doctrine
3: a meeting of people for consultation; "emergency council"

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English counceil, from Anglo-French cunseil, cuncile, from Latin concilium, from com- + calare to call — more at low Date: 12th century 1. an assembly or meeting for consultation, advice, or discussion 2. a group elected or appointed as an advisory or legislative body 3. a. a usually administrative body b. an executive body whose members are equal in power and authority c. a governing body of delegates from local units of a federation 4. deliberation in a council 5. a. a federation of or a central body uniting a group of organizations b. a local chapter of an organization c. club, society II. adjective Date: 14th century 1. used for councils especially by or with North American Indians <a council ground> 2. British built, maintained, or operated by a local governing agency <council housing> <council flats>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a an advisory, deliberative, or administrative body of people formally constituted and meeting regularly. b a meeting of such a body. 2 a the elected local administrative body of a parish, district, town, city, or administrative county and its paid officers and workforce. b (attrib.) (esp. of housing) provided by a local council (council flat; council estate). 3 a body of persons chosen as advisers (Privy Council). 4 an ecclesiastical assembly (ecumenical council). Phrases and idioms: council-chamber a room in which a council meets. council-house a building in which a council meets. council of war 1 an assembly of officers called in a special emergency. 2 any meeting held to plan a response to an emergency. the Queen (or King) in Council the Privy Council as issuing Orders in Council or receiving petitions etc. Etymology: ME f. AF cuncile f. L concilium convocation, assembly f. calare summon: cf. COUNSEL

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Council Coun"cil (koun"s[i^]l), n. [F. concile, fr. L. concilium; con- + calare to call, akin to Gr. ??? to call, and E. hale, v., haul. Cf. Conciliate. This word is often confounded with counsel, with which it has no connection.] 1. An assembly of men summoned or convened for consultation, deliberation, or advice; as, a council of physicians for consultation in a critical case. 2. A body of man elected or appointed to constitute an advisory or a legislative assembly; as, a governor's council; a city council. An old lord of the council rated me the other day. --Shak. 3. Act of deliberating; deliberation; consultation. Satan . . . void of rest, His potentates to council called by night. --Milton. O great in action and in council wise. --Pope. Aulic council. See under Aulic. Cabinet council. See under Cabinet. City council, the legislative branch of a city government, usually consisting of a board of aldermen and common council, but sometimes otherwise constituted. Common council. See under Common. Council board, Council table, the table round which a council holds consultation; also, the council itself in deliberation. Council chamber, the room or apartment in which a council meets. Council fire, the ceremonial fire kept burning while the Indians hold their councils. [U.S.] --Bartlett. Council of war, an assembly of officers of high rank, called to consult with the commander in chief in regard to measures or importance or nesessity. Ecumenical council (Eccl.), an assembly of prelates or divines convened from the whole body of the church to regulate matters of doctrine or discipline. Executive council, a body of men elected as advisers of the chief magistrate, whether of a State or the nation. [U.S.] Legislative council, the upper house of a legislature, usually called the senate. Privy council. See under Privy. [Eng.] Syn: Assembly; meeting; congress; diet; parliament; convention; convocation; synod.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(councils) Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. A council is a group of people who are elected to govern a local area such as a city or, in Britain, a county. ...Cheshire County Council... The city council has voted almost unanimously in favour. ...David Ward, one of just two Liberal Democrats on the council. = local authority N-COUNT-COLL; N-IN-NAMES 2. Council houses or flats are owned by the local council, and people pay rent to live in them. (BRIT) There is a shortage of council housing... ADJ: ADJ n 3. Council is used in the names of some organizations. ...the National Council for Civil Liberties. ...community health councils. N-COUNT-COLL: usu in names 4. In some organizations, the council is the group of people that controls or governs it. The permanent council of the Organization of American States meets today here in Washington. N-COUNT-COLL: usu sing, usu with supp 5. A council is a specially organized, formal meeting that is attended by a particular group of people. President Najibullah said he would call a grand council of all Afghans... = conference N-COUNT

Easton's Bible Dictionary

spoken of counsellors who sat in public trials with the governor of a province (Acts 25:12).

The Jewish councils were the Sanhedrim, or supreme council of the nation, which had subordinate to it smaller tribunals (the "judgment," perhaps, in Matt. 5:21, 22) in the cities of Palestine (Matt. 10:17; Mark 13:9). In the time of Christ the functions of the Sanhedrim were limited (John 16:2; 2 Cor. 11:24). In Ps. 68:27 the word "council" means simply a company of persons. (R.V. marg., "company.")

In ecclesiastical history the word is used to denote an assembly of pastors or bishops for the discussion and regulation of church affairs. The first of these councils was that of the apostles and elders at Jerusalem, of which we have a detailed account in Acts 15.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Cabinet, ministry, body of advisers. 2. Assembly (for consultation), meeting, congress, diet, synod, convocation, convention.

Moby Thesaurus

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