solicitor

Noun

solicitor (plural solicitors)

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 et al., “Dead Man's Eleven”, in Midsomer Murders
   • Traditional solicitors are still found in the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, India, Hong Kong, Singapore, and parts of Australia.

   Synonyms:

   transactional attorney

2. (Australia, Canada) 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.
   • […] 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
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.
   • “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...1749, Henry Fielding, Tom Jones
7. (obsolete) A catalyst, a thing prompting some action or behavior.
8. (obsolete) A tempter, an inciter.
9. (obsolete, rare) A military recruiter.