1. Home
2. Idioms
3. counsel

counsel

---

---

a fool may give a wise man counsel

Do not be overconfident in others' advice. I know you hold Bill in high esteem, but I don't think you should do as he suggested. Just keep in mind that a fool may give a wise man counsel.

See also: counsel, fool, give, man, may, wise

counsel someone about something

to give advice to someone about something. Will you counsel George about which tires to buy?

See also: counsel

counsel someone against something

to advise someone against doing something. The lawyer counseled her against suing the government. I was counseled against going for a walk alone at night.

See also: counsel

keep one's own counsel

Fig. to keep one's thoughts and plans to oneself; to withhold from other people one's thoughts and plans. Jane is very quiet. She tends to keep her own counsel. I advise you to keep your own counsel.

See also: counsel, keep, own

keep your own counsel

(slightly formal)

to not tell other people your thoughts He was a quiet man who kept his own counsel no matter what was going on around him.

See also: counsel, keep, own

keep your own counsel

  (slightly formal)

to not tell other people about your opinions or plans He was a quiet man who kept his own counsel.

See also: counsel, keep, own

keep one's own counsel

Say little or nothing about one's opinions or intentions. For example, Betty is notorious for keeping her own counsel; you never know what she really thinks. This expression employs counsel in the sense of "a secret," a usage dating from about 1300.

See also: counsel, keep, own