COUNCIL

[noun] [C + singular or plural verb] - a group of people elected or chosen to make decisions or give advice on a particular subject, to represent a particular group of people, or to run a particular organizationThe United Nations Security Council is/are discussing the situation in the Middle East at a meeting in New York today.This play is supported by a grant from the Arts Council.A council is the group of people elected to govern a particular area/town/city, and organize services for it.The local council has/have decided not to allocate funds for the project.The town/city council is/are responsible for keeping the streets clean.This is the third year he's been on (= has been an elected member of) the county council.Council meetings are held on Thursdays.(UK) A new playground has just been built on the (UK) council estate (= an area of houses owned by the council).They live in a council (UK) house/flatCouncil housing (US public housing) means houses or apartments owned by the council which people pay rent to live in.A council of war is a meeting held by military leaders in order to decide what action to take in a war.(figurative) Parents are holding a council of war to decide what to do about the threatened closure of the school.