The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Counsel \Coun"sel\ (koun"s[e^]l), n. [OE. conseil, F. conseil,
   fr. L. consilium, fr. the root of consulere to consult, of
   uncertain origin. Cf. Consult, Consul.]
   1. Interchange of opinions; mutual advising; consultation.
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            All the chief priest and elders of the people took
            counsel against Jesus, to put him to death. --Matt.
                                                  xxvii. 1.
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   2. Examination of consequences; exercise of deliberate
      judgment; prudence.
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            They all confess, therefore, in the working of that
            first cause, that counsel is used.    --Hooker.
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   3. Result of consultation; advice; instruction.
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            I like thy counsel; well hast thou advised. --Shak.
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            It was ill counsel had misled the girl. --Tennyson.
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   4. Deliberate purpose; design; intent; scheme; plan.
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            The counsel of the Lord standeth forever. --Ps.
                                                  xxxiii. 11.
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            The counsels of the wicked are deceit. --Prov. xii.
                                                  5.
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   5. A secret opinion or purpose; a private matter.
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            Thilke lord . . . to whom no counsel may be hid.
                                                  --Gower.
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   6. One who gives advice, especially in legal matters; one
      professionally engaged in the trial or management of a
      cause in court; also, collectively, the legal advocates
      united in the management of a case; as, the defendant has
      able counsel.
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            The King found his counsel as refractory as his
            judges.                               --Macaulay.
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   Note: In some courts a distinction is observed between the
         attorney and the counsel in a cause, the former being
         employed in the management of the more mechanical parts
         of the suit, the latter in attending to the pleadings,
         managing the cause at the trial, and in applying the
         law to the exigencies of the case during the whole
         progress of the suit. In other courts the same person
         can exercise the powers of each. See Attorney.
         --Kent.
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   In counsel, in secret. [Obs.] --Chaucer.

   To keep counsel, or

   To keep one's own counsel, to keep one's thoughts,
      purposes, etc., undisclosed.
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            The players can not keep counsel: they 'll tell all.
                                                  --Shak.

   Syn: Advice; consideration; consultation; purpose; scheme;
        opinion.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Counsel \Coun"sel\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Counseled (-s[e^]ld)
   or Counselled; p. pr. & vb. n. Counseling or
   Counselling.] [OE. conseilen, counseilen, F. conseiller,
   fr. L. consiliari, fr. consilium counsel.]
   1. To give advice to; to advice, admonish, or instruct, as a
      person.
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            Good sir, I do in friendship counsel you
            To leave this place.                  --Shak.
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   2. To advise or recommend, as an act or course.
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            They who counsel war.                 --Milton.
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            Thus Belial, with words clothed in reason's garb,
            Counseled ignoble ease and peaceful sloth. --Milton.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

counsel
    n 1: a lawyer who pleads cases in court [syn: advocate,
         counsel, counselor, counsellor, counselor-at-law,
         pleader]
    2: something that provides direction or advice as to a decision
       or course of action [syn: guidance, counsel,
       counseling, counselling, direction]
    v 1: give advice to; "The teacher counsels troubled students";
         "The lawyer counselled me when I was accused of tax fraud"
         [syn: rede, advise, counsel]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

160 Moby Thesaurus words for "counsel":
   Dutch uncle, Polonius, admonisher, admonition, advice, advise,
   advise with, advisement, adviser, advising, advisor, advocacy,
   advocate, agent, aim, ambition, amicus curiae, animus, aspiration,
   attorney, attorney-at-law, backseat driver, bar, bargain,
   barrister, barrister-at-law, brief, briefing, brooding, buttinsky,
   call in, caution, caveat, coach, collogue, compare notes, confer,
   confer with, confidant, consideration, consult, consult with,
   consultant, consultation, contemplation, council, counselor,
   counselor-at-law, deliberate, deliberation, deputy, desideration,
   desideratum, design, desire, determination, direct, direction,
   discuss, discuss with, discussion, effect, exchange observations,
   exchange views, exhortation, expert, expostulation, fixed purpose,
   friend at court, function, guidance, guide, have conversations,
   hold conference, hortation, idea, instruct, instruction,
   instructor, intendment, intent, intention, intercessor, judgement,
   kibitz, kibitzer, lawyer, legal adviser, legal counselor,
   legal expert, legal practitioner, legal profession, legalist,
   lucubration, meaning, meddle, meddler, meditation, mentor, mind,
   monition, monitor, motive, mouthpiece, musing, negotiate, nestor,
   nisus, opinion, orienter, palaver, parley, plan, pleader, pleading,
   point, pondering, powwow, preceptist, prescribe, proctor,
   procurator, project, proposal, propose, prospectus, purpose,
   put heads together, reason with, recommend, recommendation,
   refer to, reflection, remonstrance, representation, resolution,
   resolve, revolving, rumination, sake, sea lawyer,
   self-styled lawyer, sit down together, sit down with, solicitor,
   speculation, striving, study, submit, suggest, suggestion,
   take counsel, take up with, talk over, teacher, thought, view,
   warning, weighing, will



Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

COUNSEL. Advice given to another as to what he ought to do or not to do.
     2. To counsel another to do an unlawful act, is to become accessory to
it, if it be a felony, or principal, if it be treason, or a misdemeanor. By
the term counsel is also understood counsellor at law. Vide To open;
Opening.



Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

COUNSEL, an officer of court. One who undertakes to conduct suits and
actions in court. The same as counsellor.



Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

COUNSEL, practice, crim. law. In the oath of the grand jurors, there is a
provision requiring them to keep secret "the commonwealth's counsel, their
fellows, and their own." In this sense this word is synonymous with
knowledge; therefore, all the knowledge acquired by grand jurors, in
consequence of their office, either from the officers of the commonwealth,
from their fellow jurors, or which they have obtained in any manner, in
relation to cases which come officially before them, must be kept secret.
See Grand Jury.