lawyer

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. One whose profession is to give legal advice and assistance to clients and represent them in court or in other legal matters.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. One who is versed in the law, or is a practitioner of law; one whose profession is to prosecute or defend suits in courts, or advise clients as to their legal rights, and aid them in securing those rights. It is a general term, comprehending attorneys, counselors, solicitors, proctors, barristers, Serjeants, and advocates.
2. n. In the New Testament, an interpreter or expounder of the Mosaic law.
3. n. The mudfish or bowfin, Amia calva; also, the burbot, Lota maculosa: both more fully called lake-lawyer.
4. n. The black-necked stilt, Himantopus nigricollis. De Kay.
5. n. An old thorny stem of a brier or bramble, as of Rosa canina or Rubus fruticosus.
6. n. Same as gray snapper. See snapper.

Wiktionary

1. n. A professional person qualified (as by a law degree and/or bar exam) and authorized to practice law, i.e. conduct lawsuits and/or give legal advice.
2. n. By extension, a legal layman who argues points of law.
3. v. informal To practice law.
4. v. To perform, or attempt to perform, the work of a lawyer.
5. v. To make legalistic arguments.
6. v. With "up", to acquire the services of a lawyer.
7. v. colloquial, criminal law With "up", to exercise the right to ask for the presence of one's attorney.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. One versed in the laws, or a practitioner of law; one whose profession is to conduct lawsuits for clients, or to advise as to prosecution or defence of lawsuits, or as to legal rights and obligations in other matters. It is a general term, comprehending attorneys, counselors, solicitors, barristers, sergeants, and advocates.
2. n. The black-necked stilt. See Stilt.
3. n. The bowfin (Amia calva).
4. n. The burbot (Lota maculosa).

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a professional person authorized to practice law; conducts lawsuits or gives legal advice