Words / B2

uh-TURN-ee/əˈtɜːni/

An attorney is a lawyer, especially in US English; in UK sources the Attorney General is a law officer of the Crown: power of attorney; the Attorney General. Solicitor and barrister are the usual UK twins; counsel is a close formal twin. The Attorney General featured in the source. Mix-up: attorney vs a tourney; tour. Do not write attorney for a UK high-street solicitor unless the source uses that word.

Meaning

A lawyer (especially US); in UK sources often the Attorney General, a law officer of the Crown.

Examples

• “The Attorney General featured in the source; a US attorney is a lawyer — UK twins are solicitor and barrister.”
• “A power of attorney featured in the will extract, which is the legal-authority sense.”

Good to know

the Attorney General; a US attorney; power of attorney. UK twins: solicitor / barrister. Close: lawyer / counsel. Trap: using US attorney for every UK lawyer. Citizenship, law, and news. A lawyer (US), or the Attorney General — specify.

Near in meaning

lawyer, solicitor, counsel

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