I. -kə̇t, -ˌkāt, usu -d.+V noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English avocat, advocat, from Middle French, from Latin advocatus, from past participle of advocare to summon, call to one's aid, from ad- + vocare to call — more at voice
1. : one that pleads the cause of another : defender
we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ — 1 Jn 2:1 (Authorized Version)
accepted the responsibility of acting as a personal advocate for his chief
specifically : one that pleads the cause of another before a tribunal or judicial court : counselor
never a close student of the law, his success was won as an advocate
— used as the technical name in Scotland, France, and various other countries whose legal system is based on the Roman law and in the English ecclesiastical courts and various other special courts; compare attorney , barrister , counsel
2. : one that argues for, defends, maintains, or recommends a cause or proposal
its warmest advocates agree in this with its severest critics — W.C.Brownell
the advocates of classical education
an advocate of air power
II. -ˌkāt, usu -d.+V verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
transitive verb
: to plead in favor of : defend by argument before a tribunal or the public : support or recommend publicly
advocate a permanent corps of civil servants
advocate changes be made
intransitive verb
: to act as advocate