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solicitor

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Middle French soliciteur. By surface analysis, solicit +‎ -or.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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solicitor (plural solicitors)

  1. 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.
      • 1999 September 12, Anthony Horowitz et al., “Dead Man's Eleven”, in Midsomer Murders:
        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.
      Synonym: transactional attorney
      Traditional solicitors are still found in the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, India, Hong Kong, Singapore, and parts of Australia.
    2. (Canada, Australia) A lawyer now performing both the role of a traditional solicitor and that of a barrister.
    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.
      • 2014, K. Stanton, Shakespeare's 'Whores': Erotics, Politics, and Poetics:
        […] sex workers are regarded as born to be punished; the solicitors of their services are not.
    5. (Canada, US) A door-to-door salesperson, a person soliciting sales by visiting others' houses.
      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.
      • 1749, Henry Fielding, Tom Jones:
        “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.”
    7. (obsolete) A catalyst, a thing prompting some action or behavior.
    8. (obsolete) A tempter, an inciter.
    9. (rare, obsolete) A military recruiter.

Derived terms

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Translations

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Translations to be checked

See also

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