What does the word advice mean

Though advise and advice look similar and some use them interchangeably there is a difference between advise and advice in their usage and meanings. This difference between advise and advice is mainly in the part of speech they belong to. Advise is considered as a verb whereas advice is considered a noun. However, this distinct difference is used only in British English as the treatment of advise and advice changes in American English. In British English, especially, advise is known as a verb and advice a noun. In other words, advise is considered the verb form of advice.

What does Advise mean?

According to the Oxford dictionary, advise means “offer suggestions about the best course of action to someone.” For example,

He advised me not to go to the bakery in that weather.

However, it should be noted that advise is known as the verb form of the word advice only in British English. Therefore, in British English you have to mind where you use advise. When it comes to pronunciation the ‘s’ in advise is pronounced as the ‘z’ in words like zip and zero.

In American English, the word advise is not much used in everyday life, though the word appears in the dictionary.

What does Advice mean?

According to the Oxford dictionary, advice mean “guidance of recommendations offered with regard to prudent action.” This is the main meaning. The word is also used in the financial sphere to mean “a formal notice of a financial transaction.” Look at the following example that shows how advice is normally used.

John’s advice was very useful in choosing a book.

When it comes to pronunciation, advice should be pronounced according to the following simple rule. The ‘c’ in advice should be pronounced like ‘s’ in words such as sip and sit.

In American English, this word advice is more used than advise in day to day life. The word advice can be used when you are seeking the opinion of others or when you are giving a recommendation to someone.

 Difference Between Advise and Advice

What is the difference between Advise and Advice?

The words advice and advise have a difference in their usage though they appear to be the same word. This difference is especially highlighted in British English where advise is used as verb and advice is considered as the noun form of advise. In American English, this difference is not given much place.

The word advice is used when seeking opinion and it is used more often. The word advise is used sparingly on the contrary. You would still find its use especially in the business circle. Observe the usage of the word advise in the sentence,

“Please advise me as to how to proceed in this matter.”

Similarly, observe the usage of the two words in the two sentences,

“I would advise you to go to bed late tonight.”

and

“I am happy he took my advice.”

In short it can be said that both the words give the meaning of ‘counselling.’

Summary:

Advise vs Advice

• Advise is a verb. Advice is a noun.

• They both have the same meaning of counselling or asking for someone’s opinion.

• In British English, this noun and verb difference is much considered. That is not so in American English.

• There is a difference in pronunciation of these two words. Advise ‘s’ is pronounced as ‘z’ while ‘c’ in advice is pronounced as ‘s’.

Further Reading:

  1. Difference Between Advice and Suggestion

Your posts will be excellent if they contain advice from the trenches. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Their main advice is to treat boys like any friend and not as a different species — or one option is to ignore them until you (and them) are 19. ❋ Unknown (2007)

My main advice is to think about the types of things you like to cook. ❋ Unknown (2004)

If the advice is always bad then why wouldn’t malpractice lawsuits take care of the problem? ❋ Unknown (2009)

But the advice is as good as ever (and developed at length it in later chapters, which deal with topics such as how to understand what a book is “about”). ❋ Unknown (2009)

In advisory accounts, the advice is the primary service being offered. ❋ Jaime Levy Pessin (2010)

Much of this advice is available in Weil’s previous works as well as on his Web site. ‘ ❋ Unknown (2010)

Every time I hear the party faithful lamenting third parties my advice is the same. ❋ Unknown (2009)

If you are collecting Dahlonega quarter eagles by date or if you are a type collector looking for a single very high grade piece, my advice is to be aggressive on the very rare occasions that a coin like this 1841-D become available. ❋ Unknown (2008)

The real target for their advice is the Congress, which in the end has the final power to adjust the amount of money being spent by the nation on Earth Science. ❋ Unknown (2007)

Not following this advice is the most common reason that lost sportsmen wind up dead, as was the case with two young elk hunters discovered in an adjoining mountain range a few years back. ❋ Unknown (2005)

All of the other advice is absolutely correct, but one other thing you might want to consider is that, for the most part, real estate transactions in Mexico are done either by cash or check. ❋ Unknown (2002)

I suppose my advice is a bit gratuitous but our total economic well being is at stake. ❋ Unknown (1978)

That would be the real testament to how much his «advice» is actually valued … rather than «tolerated.» ❋ Unknown (2009)

I should have taken olegt’s advice. oleg’s «advice» is that seeing that you two are ignorant of nested hierarchies you should try to help someone understand them. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Providing «advice» is the highest responsibility allowed for non-governmental folks. ❋ Unknown (2009)

The problem with this kind of advice is that there are a lot of writers out there who can pull off an accomplished and enjoyable story. ❋ Ccfinlay (2006)

It is not only on capital spending that we get this kind of advice from the press, but we get it on current spending as well. ❋ Unknown (1969)

[quote advice queen … some] the truth is cold. thats life. death is colder though … [/ quote] so much for your title advice queen, your a bit bitter = / Poster dont kill yourself alright. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Proper use of the word «advice«:
«I need advice on asking her out, can you help me?» by SomeAwesomeDude ([600] posts)
[Improper] use of the word «advice«:
«im [bi]….i need advice» by XxXhottxbixbabeXxX (1 post) ❋ Spel Itt Rite (2006)

[use] this advice ❋ Sir Charles Shrek The 1st (2020)

I was given the advice once that you should never eat [a dirty] girl or you’ll get a [tongue] [disease]. ❋ Animedude (2004)

1/2/3- Question: Could some one help me with this? How can I disable the thumbnails in [Vista].
Reply: LOLZ! YOU WAT!/ [TITS or GTFO]/ Stop talking shit about my mom!/ I’ve slept with her, lol!/ etc…
(between other numerous replies, that only add to the repliers [post count] or shitty reputation, and don’t actually give an answer to the question)
4- Stop taking advices!!! ❋ TropX (2009)

«Dude, got any advice [for me]?» «Hey [let’s go] outside and [advise]» ❋ Justaddinmy2cents (2005)

Go to your [elders] for [advice], [not here] ❋ Communist Teddybears (2016)

Iam «You really should take your own advice more. How is that not suffering stupidly?»
Hym «Oh and I know that I said it wasn’t people but you all think that I’m worse than a not person so I don’t see how you’re not exactly the same. There’s going to be a food shortage, apparently. While I’m starving to death ([and you’re not]) I’ll try to remind myself that it’s my own fault and not everyone else’s. I’ll [be like that] guy who died because he couldn’t afford [insulin]. Literally watching the [hourglass] of my life pour down to nothing and dying in terror while a retard who’s dad owns half of the city I live in pays for me to live for free while my staff hires me women to fuck. I’m clearly the piece of shit here and I should have just got someone to pay me $100,000 to tell them that the sky is blue. Clearly entirely my fault.»
Iam «Stop. This why everyone hates us.»
Hym «They all hate anyone that isn’t on their team anyway. Idiots.» ❋ Hym Iam (2022)

Tom «[Hey Betty], you should [fucking kill] yourself»
[Betty] «Maybe I should, that’s some great advice» ❋ Advice420 (2019)

[Yeah bro] she gave me some great «[advice]» last night.
Hey I really [need] some «advice» right about now. ❋ LimeInfinity (2010)

[The Children] were given good [advices] on how to play.
Do you have any advices [for me]? ❋ User Not Known (2015)

Britannica Dictionary definition of ADVICE

[noncount]

:

an opinion or suggestion about what someone should do

  • My advice is to sell your old car and get a new one.

  • Take my advice and sell your old car.

  • He needs advice from an expert.

  • She’s been giving him some expert advice about investing.

  • “May I ask your advice about/on something?” “Certainly. I’m always happy to give advice when asked for it.”

  • Let me offer you a bit/piece/word of advice. = Let me offer you some advice.

  • I took/followed my doctor’s advice and lost some weight. = I lost some weight on the advice of my doctor.

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Middle English avys, from Old French avis, from the phrase ce m’est a vis («in my view»), where vis is from Latin visus, past participle of videre (to see). See vision, and compare avise, advise. The unhistoric -d- was introduced in English 15c. Doublet of aviso.

Displaced native Old English rǣd.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ədˈvaɪs/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ædˈvaɪs/
  • Rhymes: -aɪs

Noun[edit]

advice (countable and uncountable, plural advices)

  1. (uncountable) An opinion offered to guide behavior in an effort to be helpful.

    She was offered various pieces of advice on what to do with her new-found wealth.

    On the advice of her doctor, Mary cut down on her carbohydrates.

    I have some useful advice to give you.

    Sushil never took the advice of his parents, but still became rich.

    • 1732, Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard’s Almanack:

      We may give advice, but we can not give conduct.

  2. (uncountable, obsolete) Deliberate consideration; knowledge.
    • c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies [] (First Folio), London: [] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):

      How shall I dote on her with more advice,
      That thus without advice begin to love her?

  3. (archaic, commonly in plural) Information or news given; intelligence

    late advices from France

  4. (countable) In language about financial transactions executed by formal documents, an advisory document.

    An advice of an incoming settlement payment order may be given to an off-line receiving bank.

    • 1990, United States Office of the Federal Register, The Code of Federal Regulations of the United States of America:

      (g) A Reserve Bank will issue to each depositor following any transaction affecting book-entry securities maintained for such depositor under this part a confirmation thereof in the form of an advice (serially numbered or otherwise) which shall describe the amount and maturity date thereof, and include pertinent transaction data.

    • 1992, Benjamin Geva, The Law of Electronic Funds Transfers — Issue 3:

      However, an advice of an incoming settlement payment order will be given to an off-line receiving bank only when the receiving bank has notified the Reserve Bank in writing

  5. (uncountable) In commercial language, information communicated by letter; used chiefly in reference to drafts or bills of exchange

    a letter of advice

    • 1884, John Proffatt, Abraham Clark Freeman, The American Decisions []
      the drawees acknowledged the receipt of the letter of advice of the nineteenth of December , and promised to honor the draft when presented
  6. (countable, law) A communication providing information, such as how an uncertain area of law might apply to possible future actions

    An advice issued by a Monitoring Committee could be applicable in a Dutch court

    • 1992, Robert M. MacLean, European Community Law Textbook:

      Any measure that is not a formal (binding) act within the meaning of article 189 EEC, such as for example an advice, is clearly outside the scope of the action.

    • 1999, J. Vervaele, Compliance and Enforcement of European Community Law:

      the question arises, whether an advice issued by a Monitoring Committee would actually be applicable in a Dutch court

    • 1979, Pennsylvania Bulletin — Volume 9 — Page 4072:

      the Executive Director will determine which requests will be referred to chief counsel for preparation of an advice and which requests will be submitted directly to the Commission for an opinion.

    • 1996, Valerie Beardsmore, Opinion Writing & Drafting In Tort:

      The central purpose of this chapter is, however, to explain how to write an advice or an opinion.

    • 1993, Chrostwaite’s Pennsylvania Municipal Law Reporter:

      Documents and submissions to the Commission relating to a request for an opinion or an appeal of an advice shall be made at least 7 days prior to the meeting of the Commission during which the appeal or opinion will be reviewed

  7. (uncountable, law) Counseling to perform a specific legal act.
    • 1885, Francis Wharton, A Treatise on the Criminal Law of the United States
      An honest oath taken under advice of counsel, therefore, is not perjury
  8. (uncountable, law) Counseling to perform a specific illegal act.
  9. (countable, programming) In aspect-oriented programming, the code whose execution is triggered when a join point is reached.

Synonyms[edit]

  • (opinion given to be useful): counsel, suggestion, recommendation, rede, admonition, exhortation, information, tip, notice
  • See also Thesaurus:advice

Derived terms[edit]

  • advice and consent
  • advice animal
  • advice boat
  • advice column
  • advice columnist
  • adviceful
  • adviceline
  • avizefull
  • dadvice
  • legal advice

[edit]

  • advise
  • adviso
  • aviso

Translations[edit]

opinion recommended or offered, as worthy to be followed; counsel

  • Afrikaans: advies
  • Albanian: këshillë (sq) f
  • Amharic: ምክር (məkr)
  • Arabic: نَصِيحَة‎ f (naṣīḥa), مَشُورَة‎ f (mašūra)
  • Aragonese: consello m
  • Armenian: խորհուրդ (hy) (xorhurd)
  • Azerbaijani: məsləhət (az)
  • Basque: aholku
  • Bashkir: кәңәш (käŋäş)
  • Belarusian: пара́да f (paráda), саве́т m (savjét), ра́да f (ráda)
  • Bengali: পরামর্শ (bn) (poramorśo)
  • Bulgarian: съве́т (bg) m (sǎvét), препоръ́ка (bg) f (preporǎ́ka)
  • Burmese: အကြံပေးချက် (my) (a.krampe:hkyak), အကြံ (my) (a.kram), ဩဝါဒ (my) (au:wada.), ပြောစကား (my) (prau:ca.ka:)
  • Catalan: consell (ca) m
  • Chinese:
    Mandarin: 勸告劝告 (zh) (quàngào), 忠告 (zh) (zhōnggào), 建議建议 (zh) (jiànyì)
  • Czech: rada (cs) f
  • Danish: råd n
  • Dutch: raad (nl) m, advies (nl) n
  • Esperanto: konsilo
  • Estonian: nõu
  • Farefare: sɩka
  • Finnish: neuvo (fi)
  • French: conseil (fr) m
  • Galician: consello m
  • Georgian: რჩევა (rčeva)
  • German: Rat (de) m, Ratschlag (de) m
  • Gothic: 𐍂𐌰𐌲𐌹𐌽 n (ragin)
  • Greek: συμβουλή (el) f (symvoulí)
    Ancient: συμβουλή f (sumboulḗ)
  • Hebrew: עֵצָה (he) f (eitsá)
  • Hindi: सलाह (hi) f (salāh), परामर्श (hi) m (parāmarś), सलाह (hi) f (salāh), नसीहत (hi) f (nasīhat)
  • Hungarian: tanács (hu)
  • Icelandic: ráð (is) n, ábending f
  • Ido: konsilo (io)
  • Indonesian: advis (id), nasihat (id)
  • Irish: airle f
  • Italian: consiglio (it) m, parere (it) m, suggerimento (it) m
  • Japanese: 助言 (ja) (じょげん, jogen), 注意 (ja) (ちゅうい, chūi), 忠告 (ja) (ちゅうこく, chūkoku), アドバイス (ja) (adobaisu)
  • Kannada: please add this translation if you can
  • Kazakh: кеңес (kk) (keñes)
  • Khmer: ដំបូន្មាន (km) (dɑmboun miən)
  • Korean: 조언(助言) (ko) (jo’eon), 충고(忠告) (ko) (chunggo), 권고(勸告) (ko) (gwon’go)
  • Kurdish:
    Northern Kurdish: şîret (ku), nesîhet (ku), tewsiye (ku), pend (ku)
  • Kyrgyz: кеңеш (ky) (keŋeş)
  • Lao: ຄຳແນະນຳ (kham næ nam), ປະກອນ (pa kǭn)
  • Latgalian: padūms
  • Latin: cōnsilium n
  • Latvian: padoms m, padoms
  • Lithuanian: patarimas m
  • Luxembourgish: Rot (lb) m
  • Macedonian: совет m (sovet), препорака f (preporaka)
  • Malay: nasihat
  • Maltese: parir m
  • Maore Comorian: fikira
  • Maori: whakamāherehere, kupu āwhina, kupu tohutohu
  • Mongolian:
    Cyrillic: зөвлөгөө (mn) (zövlögöö)
  • Moore: saglgo, saoglgo
  • Nepali: सल्लाह​ (sallāha​)
  • Ngazidja Comorian: waswia
  • Norwegian:
    Bokmål: råd (no) n
  • Occitan: conselh (oc) m
  • Old Church Slavonic:
    Cyrillic: съвѣтъ m (sŭvětŭ)
  • Old East Slavic: съвѣтъ m (sŭvětŭ)
  • Old English: rǣd m
  • Old French: cunseill
  • Oriya: ଉପଦେଶ (upôdeśô)
  • Ossetian: фӕнд (fænd)
  • Palauan: llach
  • Pashto: مصلحت‎ m (maslehát), نصيحت (ps) m (nasihát), پند‎ m (pand)
  • Persian: پند (fa) (pand), اندرز (fa) (andarz), نصیحت (fa) (nasihat), توصیه (fa) (towsiye), مصلحت (fa) (maslehat)
  • Polish: rada (pl) f, porada (pl) f, wskazówka (pl) f
  • Portuguese: conselho (pt) m
  • Punjabi: ਸਲਾਹ (pa) (salāh), ਨਸੀਹਤ (nasīhat)
  • Romanian: sfat (ro) n, îndrumare (ro) f
  • Russian: сове́т (ru) m (sovét), рекоменда́ция (ru) f (rekomendácija), наставле́ние (ru) n (nastavlénije)
  • Serbo-Croatian:
    Cyrillic: са́вјет m (Ijekavian), са́вет m (Ekavian)
    Roman: sávjet (sh) m (Ijekavian), sávet (sh) m (Ekavian)
  • Sidamo: seejjo
  • Sinhalese: අවවාදය (si) (awawādaya)
  • Slovak: rada f
  • Slovene: nasvet (sl) m
  • Somali: talo
  • Spanish: consejo (es) m
  • Swahili: ushauri (sw)
  • Swedish: råd (sv) n
  • Tajik: маслиҳат (tg) (maslihat), насиҳат (nasihat), панд (tg) (pand), машварат (mašvarat), тавсия (tavsiya)
  • Tamil: அறிவுரை (ta) (aṟivurai)
  • Tatar: киңәш (tt) (kiñäş)
  • Telugu: సలహా (te) (salahā)
  • Thai: คำแนะนำ (kam-nɛ́-nam), อาเทศ (aa-têet)
  • Tibetan: please add this translation if you can
  • Turkish: tavsiye (tr) öneri (tr) öğüt (tr)
  • Turkmen: maslahat
  • Ukrainian: ра́да (uk) f (ráda), пора́да (uk) f (poráda)
  • Urdu: ہدایت‎ f (hidāyat), صلاح‎ f (salāh), نصیحت‎ f (nasīhat)
  • Uyghur: مەسلىھەت(meslihet)
  • Uzbek: maslahat (uz), kengash (uz)
  • Vietnamese: lời khuyên (vi)
  • Volapük: konsäl (vo)
  • Welsh: cyngor (cy) m
  • Yiddish: עצה‎ f (eytse), ייצע‎ f (eytse)

information or notice given

  • Bulgarian: изве́стие (bg) n (izvéstie), съобще́ние (bg) n (sǎobšténie)
  • Chinese:
    Mandarin: please add this translation if you can
  • Dutch: aankondiging (nl) f
  • Finnish: tieto (fi)
  • Indonesian: advis (id)
  • Italian: avviso (it) m, avvertimento (it) m
  • Russian: сообще́ние (ru) n (soobščénije), изве́стие (ru) n (izvéstije), извеще́ние (ru) n (izveščénije), уведомле́ние (ru) n (uvedomlénije)
  • Spanish: aviso (es) m
  • Yiddish: אַוויז‎ m (aviz)

Translations to be checked

  • Icelandic: (please verify) ráðh

Verb[edit]

advice

  1. Misspelling of advise.

References[edit]

  • advice in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913

1

: recommendation regarding a decision or course of conduct : counsel

… shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties …U.S. Constitution

2

: information or notice given

usually used in plural

… the latest advices from Mexico …Henry David Thoreau

3

: an official notice concerning a business transaction

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Parties have to make decisions involving millions of dollars based on incomplete information; to help make those decisions, they inevitably seek advice from pollsters they trust.


Noam Scheiber, New Republic, 24 Feb. 2003


Of all the e-mail advice I’ve received about my herniated disk, from acupuncture to zen, the most immediately applicable has been this: Channel your daily rage away from your spine.


Robert Lipsyte, New York Times, 21 July 2002



My advice is to sell your old car and get a new one.



Take my advice and sell your old car.



He needs advice from an expert.



She’s been giving him some expert advice about investing.



“May I ask your advice about something?” “Certainly. I’m always happy to give advice when asked for it.”

See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s advice to women aspiring to succeed in politics or the workplace is simple: Know your motivation, and don’t be afraid to throw a punch.


Natalie Andrews, WSJ, 22 Mar. 2023





My advice is to look for people outside of product management roles that have the mindset and skills to perform the job.


Sara Vassar, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2023





My similar advice is to end all contact with them and never look back.


Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2023





Speaking at a live talk with Moshiry in Copenhagen, Wenders told the mostly young audience how this sense has informed his filmmaking from the beginning, and offered a word of advice.


Lise Pedersen, Variety, 22 Mar. 2023





On Tuesday, the Food Network star posted an Instagram Story that included some inspirational words of advice for any of her fans going through a tough time.


Antonia Debianchi, Peoplemag, 22 Mar. 2023





My advice is to buy a third magazine (sold separately).


Tim Macwelch, Outdoor Life, 21 Mar. 2023





As the franchise attempts to work its way back toward respectability, one Golden State veteran has no shortage of advice.


Michael Shapiro, Chron, 21 Mar. 2023





So one more bit of advice: Back the ever-loving heck off this issue, this couple, this entitlement.


Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2023



See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘advice.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English avis, avise, advis, advise «thought, judgment, opinion,» borrowed from Anglo-French avis, avise, advis, from the phrase a vis «apparent» (in ce m’est a vis «that appears to me»), from a «to, at, in» (going back to Latin ad) + vis, in part from the noun vis «field of vision, sense of sight, face» (going back to Latin vīsus, verbal noun from vidēre «to see»), in part from the Old French phrase ço m’est vis «that seems to me,» continuing Latin mihi est vīsum (with neuter past participle of vidēre) — more at at entry 1, wit entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of advice was
in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near advice

Cite this Entry

“Advice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/advice. Accessed 14 Apr. 2023.

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Last Updated:
26 Mar 2023
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