solicitor
nounUS /səˈlɪsɪtɚ/ · UK /səˈlɪsɪtə/
Etymology From Middle French soliciteur. By surface analysis, solicit + -or.
9 senses
- 1A lawyer offering most legal services to clients apart…
- 2A lawyer now performing both the role of a traditional…
- 3The chief legal officer of a city, town, or similar…
- 4A customer, a requester of goods and services…
- 5A door-to-door salesperson, a person soliciting sales by…
- 6An agent or proxy in other contexts, especially a…
- 7A catalyst, a thing prompting some action or behavior.
- 8A tempter, an inciter.
- 9A military recruiter.
› One who solicits, particularly
1
A lawyer offering most legal services to clients apart from representation in court, for which the lawyer typically solicits and instructs a barrister instead, although rights of audience vary by jurisdiction.
- Stephen Cavendish: I'm not going to say any more until I've spoken to my solicitor. DCI Tom Barnaby: That might be a good idea, sir.1999 September 12, Anthony Horowitz & al., "Dead Man's Eleven", Midsomer Murders
- Traditional solicitors are still found in the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, India, Hong Kong, Singapore, and parts of Australia.
3
US The chief legal officer of a city, town, or similar jurisdiction in some American states.
4
A customer, a requester of goods and services, especially johns, the clients of prostitutes.
- […] sex workers are regarded as born to be punished; the solicitors of their services are not.2014, K. Stanton, Shakespeare's 'Whores': Erotics, Politics, and Poetics:
- Did you see the sign that says 'No Solicitors'?
6
Archaic An agent or proxy in other contexts, especially a petitioner, an intercessor, a go-between.
- “I beg, Mr Allworthy,” answered Sophia, “you will not insist on my reasons;—[…] Your nephew, sir, hath many virtues—he hath great virtues, Mr Allworthy. I question not but he will do you honour in the world, and make you happy.”—“I wish I could make him so, madam,” replied Allworthy; “but that I am convinced is only in your power. It is that conviction which hath made me so earnest a solicitor in his favour.”1749, Henry Fielding, Tom Jones:
7
Obsolete A catalyst, a thing prompting some action or behavior.
8
Obsolete A tempter, an inciter.
- Derived terms
- duty solicitor, solicitor-client privilege, solicitor general, solicitorship
- Related terms
- solicitress, solicitrix, advocate, attorney, barrister, counse, counselor, lawyer