Definition: council

Source: WordNet (r) 1.7

council
     n 1: a body serving in an administrative capacity; "student
          council"
     2: a meeting of people for consultation; "emergency council"

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

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.

Source: U.S. Gazetteer (1990)

Council, ID (city, FIPS 18820)
  Location: 44.72892 N, 116.43524 W
  Population (1990): 831 (392 housing units)
  Area: 1.8 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
  Zip code(s): 83612
Council, NC
  Zip code(s): 28434
Council, VA
  Zip code(s): 24260

Source: Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary

Council
   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.