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An assembly of men summoned or convened for consultation, deliberation, or advice; as, a council of physicians for consultation in a critical case.

One who belong to a council; one who gives an opinion. [Obs.] I will in three months be an expert counsilist. Milton.

A member of a council, especially of the common council of a city; a councilor.

A member of a council. [Written also councillor.]

The council held under Pope Pius IX. in Vatican at Rome, in 1870, which promulgated the dogma of papal infallibility.

The result of public deliberation; the decision or determination of a legislative body, council, court of justice, etc.; a decree, edit, law, judgment, resolve, award; as, an act of Parliament, or of Congress.

nother; agency; activity; operation; as, the action of heat; a man of action. One wise in council, one in action brave. Pope.

f laws and the superintendence of public affairs; the chief magistrate and his cabinet or council; or the council, or ministry, alone, as in Great Britain. A mild and popular administration. Macaulay. The administration has been opposed in parliament. Johnson.

Having power to advise; containing advice; as, an advisory council; their opinion is merely advisory. The General Association has a general advisory superintendence over all the ministers and churches. Trumbull.

concurrence; concord; conformity; as, a good agreement subsists among the members of the council. What agreement hath the temple of God with idols 2 Cor. vi. 16. Expansion and duration have this further agreement. Locke.

senate the sons of those who had been slaves; by which, and succeeding alterations, that council degenerated into a most corrupt. Swift.

Of or pertaining to the Amphictyons or their League or Council; as, an Amphictyonic town or state; the Amphictyonic body. W. Smith.

Deputies from the confederated states of ancient Greece to a congress or council. They considered both political and religious matters.

of states of ancient Greece; esp. the celebrated confederation known as the Amphictyonic Council. Its object was to maintain the common interests of Greece.

One of the senior members of the Inns of Court or of Chancery. Council of Ancients (French Hist.), one of the two assemblies composing the legislative bodies in 1795. Brande.

Of or in the Christian church or era, anterior to the first council of Nice, held a. d. 325; as, antenicene faith.

One who appealed to a general council against the bull Unigenitus.

To surpass in council. [Obs.] Men may the olde atrenne, but hat atrede. Chaucer.

Pertaining to a royal court. Ecclesiastical wealth and aulic dignities. Landor. Aulic council (Hist.), a supreme court of the old German empire; properly the supreme court of the emperor. It ceased at the death of each emperor, and was renewed by his successor. It became extinct when the German empire was dissolved, in…

staffs were placed. -- Bench of bishops, the whole body of English prelates assembled in council. -- Bench plane, any plane used by carpenters and joiners for working a flat surface, as jack planes, long planes. -- Bench show, an exhibition of dogs. -- Bench table (Arch.), a projecting course at the base of a build…