Forms (more than 30): 3 conseill-en, 3–6 vars. in con-, coun-, (4–5 cown-), -seil, -sail(l, etc., as in sb.; 5–6 counsell, 4– counsel. Also 4–6 counceil, -cell, -cel, etc. [ME. conseillen, a. F. conseiller (= Pr. cosseillar, cosselhar, OSp. consejar, It. consigliare):—late L. consiliāre, for cl. L. consiliārī to be a counsellor, to counsel, f. consilium: see prec.]
1. To counsel a person: to give or offer (him) counsel or advice; to advise.
1297. R. Glouc. (1724), 214. He bygan hem rede; And in þys batayle to conseyly, and þes wordes seyde.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 7991 (Gött.). Comyn i am þe to consayle, þu folu it, and it sal þe vayle.
a. 1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 5943. To counsaile þam þat askes counsayle.
c. 1450. St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 3817. He counseld þe childes fader.
1474. Caxton, Chesse, 25. Theyr offyce is for to counceylle the kyng.
1535. Act 27 Hen. VIII., c. 27. Ye shall truly councell the king and his chauncellour … in al thinges concerning the same.
1607. Shaks., Cor., III. ii. 28. Pray be counsail’d.
1789. Gouv. Morris, in Sparks, Life & Writ., II. 71. [He] has neither sense to counsel himself nor to choose counsellors for himself, much less to counsel others.
1842. Lytton, Zanoni, 27. Since we have thus met, I will pause to counsel you.
b. with constructions and adverbial extensions, expressing the matter or tenor of the advice.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 3450 (Gött.). To consail hir quat were best. Ibid., 3751 (Gött.). Consail me fader, how to liue. Ibid., 24213 (Fairf.). Counsail me vn-to þe best.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 70. I you counseile That ye it kepe.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 9804. He counceld the kynges to kayre into grece.
c. 1489. Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, i. 43. I counseylle you that ye tourne agayn.
1599. Shaks., Much Ado, III. i. 83. I will goe … And counsaile him to fight against his passion.
a. 1843. Southey, Inscriptions, xxii. Men who counsell’d him To offer terms.
1863. Cowden Clarke, Shaks. Char., xv. 376. The weakly unjust king will not be counselled to his own honour and interest.
1871. Weymouth, Euph., 10. Euphues counsels ladies to cultivate good-nature and courtesy.
2. absol. To give or offer counsel or advice. † Const. to (a course or purpose).
(Arising out of 1, by suppression of the personal object, and leading the way to 3, in which the personal object is also absent, and the matter of the advice expressed.)
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XIII. 377. And as he consalit, thai haue done.
1382. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 514. Alle men of þe Parlement counceilinge þerto.
1635. R. Bolton, Comf. Affl. Consc., i. 140. Austin the famous Disputer … counselleth to this purpose.
1667. Milton, P. L., IX. 1099. So counsel’d hee and both together went Into the thickest Wood.
3. To counsel a thing: to advise its adoption or doing; to recommend (a plan, suggestion, etc.).
a. with the matter expressed by a sentence, clause, or inf. phrase.
a. 1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 3927. Som clerkes counsailles Þat we it spare and reserve halely, Until we com til purgatory.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. I. 201. Ich consaile, for comune profit lete þe cat worthe.
c. 1450. St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 4648. To þe same þai counselde Þar with þe cors to lende.
1548–9. (Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer, Offices, 35 b. He counsayled that suche yocke and burden should be taken awaye.
b. with the matter expressed by a noun or pronoun.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 11336. Hade þou counceld the contrary.
1647–8. Cotterell, Davila’s Hist. Fr. (1678), 28. It should be proposed and counselled, as necessary.
1667. Milton, P. L., II. 227. Thus Belial … Counsel’d ignoble ease, and peaceful sloath.
1868. Bright, Sp. Ireland, 14 March. I would counsel to all men moderation and justice.
1874. Green, Short Hist., vii. 356. The Emperor … counselled prudence and delay.
† 4. To ask counsel of; to consult. Obs.
1382. Wyclif, Ezek. xxi. 21. The kyng … axide ydolis, he counseilide [1388 took councel at] entrailis.
1528. Gardiner, in Pocock, Rec. Ref., I. I. 167. He could no less do than to counsel other thereupon.
1547. Hooper, Answ. Bp. Winchester’s Bk., Wks. (Parker Soc.), 141. Moses … counselled the Lord and thereupon advised his subjects what was to be done.
† 5. refl. To take counsel with oneself; to consider; also = next. Cf. to advise oneself, F. se conseiller, s’aviser. Obs.
c. 1290. S. Eng. Leg., I. 122/552. Of ower olde lawes transcrit ȝe me take And þare-oppe ich chulle conseillen me ȝwuche beon to for-sake.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 5509 (Cott.). Sir consail yow, and þat bi yarre, Was neuer nede of consail mare.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 199. He thought he wolde him first counseile With Apollo.
† 6. intr. To take counsel with others; to consult, deliberate. Obs.
1297. R. Glouc. (1724), 91. Our Kyng … vnder feng hym fayr ynow, and conseilede of þe cas.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 14386 (Gött.). Þa consailed þaim emang Him ouþer for to heued or hang.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. I. 90. Synful men shulden conseile with preestis, and take of hem medecine to fle more synne.
1475. Bk. Noblesse, 84. The saide governours of Rome … saiden they wolde counceile togither and advise a day.
c. 1500. Melusine, 236. Ye muste counseyll emong you, & take your best adwys.
a. 1555. Latimer, Serm. & Rem. (1845), 360. Wives must counsel with husbands.
1612. Drayton, Poly-olb., i. 2. Those Druides … dwelt in darksome Groues, there counsailing with sprites.
1795. Southey, Joan of Arc, IX. 64. Counselling They met despondent.
