Attorney definitions and example sentences on Wordnik

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Definitions (16)

American Heritage Dictionary (1)

noun A person legally appointed by another to act as his or her agent in the transaction of business, specifically one qualified and licensed to act for plaintiffs and defendants in legal proceedings.

Century Dictionary (12)

One who is appointed by another to act in his place or stead; a proxy. I will attend my husband, be his nurse, Diet his sickness, for it is my office, And will have no attorney but myself. Shak., C. of E., v. 1.
Specifically In law, one who is appointed or admitted in the place of another to transact any business for him. An attorney in fact, sometimes called a private attorney, is an attorney authorized to make contracts and do other acts for his principal, out of court. For this purpose a written authority is usual, but verbal authority is in general sufficient. For the performance of some acts, however, as conveyance of land, transfer of stock, etc., a formal power of attorney is necessary. An attorney at law, sometimes called a public attorney, is a person qualified to appear for another before a court of law to prosecute or defend an action on behalf of such other. The term was formerly applied especially to those practising before the supreme courts of common law, those practising in chancery being called solicitors. Under the present English system, all persons practising before the supreme courts at Westminster are called solicitors. In England attorneys or solicitors do not argue in court in behalf of their clients, this being the part of the barristers or counsel; their special functions may be defined to be: to institute actions on behalf of their clients and take necessary steps for defending them; to furnish counsel with the necessary materials to enable them to get up their pleadings; to practise conveyancing; to prepare legal deeds and instruments of all kinds; and generally to advise with and act for their clients in all matters connected with law. An attorney, whether private or public, may have general powers to act for another, or his power may be special, and limited to a particular act or acts. In the United States the term barrister is not used, the designation of a fully qualified lawyer being attorney and counselor at law. When employed simply to present a cause in court, an attorney is termed counsel. In Scotland there is no class of practitioners of the law who take the name of attorneys. See advocate, 1.
The general supervisor or manager of a plantation. [British West Indies.]

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Examples (50)

In other words, he tells us why he won't take a case if another attorney is already doing the work. — Crimlaw
Needless to say, he and his attorney are also planning to make "judicial misconduct" the principal issue of their appeal. — LA IMC
So yes, the progressive tax system punishes productivity and this attorney is absolutely correct in weighing the cost-benefit of adding more clients. — Donklephant
For those considering filing a mesothelioma lawsuit, choosing a mesothelioma attorney is an important task. — MyLinkVault Newest Links
Upon leaving court, neither Chris Brown nor his attorney was available for comment. — Softpedia News - Global

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lawyer · physician · secretary · detective · surgeon · magistrate · journalist · adviser · counsel · administrator · banker · manager

Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (4)

American Heritage Dictionary (1)

Middle English attourney, from Old French atorne, from past participle of atorner, to appoint; see attorn.

Century Dictionary (3)

Early modern English also atturney, atturny; from Middle English atturny, attourney, aturneye, aturne, from Old French atorne, attorne (Middle Latin attornatus), past participle of atorner, aturner, transfer into the power of another: see attorn.
from attorney, n.
Early modern English also atturney, from Middle English atorne, from Old French attornee, atournee, properly feminine past participle (Middle Latin *attornata) of atourner, attorn: see attorn, and cf. attorney.

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