council
1. a body of people elected or appointed to serve in an administrative, legislative, or advisory capacity
2. Brit the local governing authority of a town, county, etc.
3. Brit provided by a local council, esp (of housing) at a subsidized rent
4. Austral an administrative or legislative assembly, esp the upper house of a state parliament in Australia
5. Christianity an assembly of bishops, theologians, and other representatives of several churches or dioceses, convened for regulating matters of doctrine or discipline
Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005