Accounsel

/əˈkaʊnsəl/ verb

Definition

To give counsel or advice to someone; an archaic term meaning to advise or counsel.

Etymology

From Middle English accounselen, composed of prefix ac- (to) + counsel. This Old French-influenced formation was used in Early Modern English but became obsolete as 'counsel' alone became preferred.

Kelly Says

This word shows how English used to attach prefixes like 'ac-' to verbs to intensify meaning, a pattern we mostly abandoned—leaving ghost words like this one frozen in historical texts.

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