4 meanings
(click/touch triangles for details)
1 —as in:
to advocate
Definition
to recommend or publicly support someone or something- She advocates stricter gun control.
advocates = publicly supports
Other Uses (with this meaning)
- She advocates giving all students the opportunity to attend school in the summer too.
- The doctor advocated a smoking ban in the entire house.
- I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me.Hunter S. Thompson (who committed suicide in 2005)
- In conformity with the principle that a display of reason rather than a threat of force should be the determining factor in the intercourse among nations, we have long advocated the peaceful settlement of disputes...Calvin Coolidge (30th President) -- Inaugural Address of 1924
- ...a grassroots organization advocating lower taxes, less government, and more freedom.Matt Kibbe -- FreedomWorks — Hey, Big Spender -- http://www.freedomworks.org/processor/printer.php?issue_id=2634 (retrieved 06/28/06)
- How can you advocate breaking some laws and obeying others?Martin Luther King, Jr. -- Letter from a Birmingham Jail
- We were advocating only that this country live up to its promises to all citizens.John Howard Griffin -- Black Like Me
- Even a columnist, with a license to advocate for one thing or another, generally stops short of personal involvement in the life of a subject.Steve Lopez -- The Soloist
- Doctor, have the medical societies in Minnesota ever advocated legislation for help to nursing mothers?Sinclair Lewis -- Main Street
advocates = recommends or publicly supports
advocate = publicly support
advocating = recommending
advocate = publicly support
advocated = publicly supported
2 —as in:
an advocate supporting
Definition
a person who publicly supports and works to advance a causeor more rarely:
someone acting in the role of a defense lawyer in England's past and in some jurisdictions today
- She is a passionate advocate for children's welfare.
advocate = a person who publicly supports and works to advance a cause
Other Uses (with this meaning)
- Privacy advocates want the law changed.
- I am not an advocate of big government, but only government can properly regulate air pollution.
- Every reform needs examples more than advocates.
- He is the migrants' strongest advocate in Nuevo Laredo.Sonia Nazario -- Enrique's Journey
- I moved to Washington to work as an advocate.Jay Allison, et al. -- This I Believe
- The advocates of nuclear disarmament seem to believe that, if they could achieve their aim, war would become tolerable and decent.Kurt Vonnegut -- Slaughterhouse-Five
- Perrin was an unlikely advocate for a multiethnic congregation.Warren St. John -- Outcasts United
- May I introduce: Mama Frank, the children's advocate!Anne Frank -- The Diary of a Young Girl
- If she dares trust me with her little babe,
I'll show't the king, and undertake to be
Her advocate to th' loud'st. ...William Shakespeare -- The Winter's Tale
advocates = outspoken supporters
advocate = public supporter
advocate = spokesperson (supporter of a cause)
advocates = people who publicly support
advocate = spokesperson (public supporter)
advocate = supporter (spokesperson)
advocate = supporter (spokesperson)
3 —as in:
an advocate in court
Definition
a lawyer or officer of the court in some jurisdictions in Europe, colonial America, and the military- She is a U.S. Army judge advocate.
advocate = a lawyer for the military
Other Uses (with this meaning)
- A solicitor advocate is qualified to represent clients in the higher courts in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
- The company needs a good advocate to represent them in trial in Scotland.
- My soul should sue as advocate for thee.William Shakespeare -- The Comedy of Errors
- the great and learned advocateBen Jonson -- Volpone
- Mosca, I was almost lost, the advocate
Had betrayed all; but now it is recovered;
All's on the hinge again—Ben Jonson -- Volpone - The advocate's a knave, And has a forked tongue—Ben Jonson -- Volpone
- I am mad, a mule That never read Justinian, should get up, And ride an advocate.Ben Jonson -- Volpone
- 'I have not the inclination to parley,' said Mr. Brownlow, 'and, as I advocate the dearest interests of others, I have not the right.'Charles Dickens -- Oliver Twist
- My advocate is dumb; look to my merchant,
He has heard of some strange storm, a ship is lost,
He faints; my lady will swoon.Ben Jonson -- Volpone
advocate = lawyer (in some jurisdictions)
advocate = lawyer
advocate = lawyer
advocate = lawyer
advocate = lawyer
advocate = lawyer
advocate = lawyer
advocate = act as an English lawyer for
advocate = lawyer
4 —as in:
I'll play the devil's advocate
Definition
a person who takes an unpopular position to encourage debate or test ideas- The Devil's Advocate was never supposed to reveal his identity.Dan Brown -- Angels & Demons
devil's advocate = generally someone who takes an unpopular position to encourage debate; but in this book referring specifically to an historic job title in the Roman Catholic Church given to someone whose job was to point to weaknesses in a candidate
Other Uses (with this meaning)
- The Devil's Advocate was appointed in advance by the reigning Pope in preparation for his own death.Dan Brown -- Angels & Demons
- "I was the Devil's Advocate," Mortati repeated.Dan Brown -- Angels & Demons
- The infamous "Devil's Advocate" was the authority when it came to scandalous information inside the Vatican.Dan Brown -- Angels & Demons
- I was the Devil's Advocate.Dan Brown -- Angels & Demons
- Jordan crossed his arms, playing devil's advocate.Jodi Picoult -- Nineteen Minutes
- "Why do you keep playing devil's advocate about this?" he demanded.Nicholas Sparks -- A Bend in the Road
- "Let me play devil's advocate," Maggie said.Jodi Picoult -- Change of Heart
- You'll have to forgive me for playing devil's advocate.Tom Clancy -- The Hunt for Red October
- Jordan had been playing devil's advocate, to see if Peter would take the bait, and sure enough the boy's face transformed.Jodi Picoult -- Nineteen Minutes
devil's advocate = generally someone who takes an unpopular position to encourage debate; but in this book referring specifically to an historic job title in the Roman Catholic Church given to someone whose job was to point to weaknesses in a candidate
devil's advocate = generally someone who takes an unpopular position to encourage debate; but in this book referring specifically to an historic job title in the Roman Catholic Church given to someone whose job was to point to weaknesses in a candidate
devil's advocate = generally someone who takes an unpopular position to encourage debate; but in this book referring specifically to an historic job title in the Roman Catholic Church given to someone whose job was to point to weaknesses in a candidate
devil's advocate = someone who takes an unpopular position to encourage debate or test ideas
devil's advocate = someone who takes an unpopular position to encourage debate or test ideas
devil's advocate = someone who takes an unpopular position to encourage debate or test ideas
devil's advocate = someone who takes an unpopular position to encourage debate or test ideas
devil's advocate = someone who takes an unpopular position to encourage debate or test ideas
devil's advocate = someone who takes an unpopular position to encourage debate
Less commonly:
Historically, "Devil's Advocate" could refer specifically to someone appointed by the Roman Catholic Church to argue against moving someone toward being declared a saint.