advocate


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Related to advocate: devil's advocate

angel's advocate

One who looks for and argues in support of the positive aspects and benefits of a certain argument, whether or not they believe them to be true. It is the opposite of a "devil's advocate," who argues against something for the sake of argument, not due to a personal opinion. I know a lot of people oppose the building of a new railway, but let me play angel's advocate for a second and tell you about all the ways it will improve our city! I don't want to focus on the doubt surrounding universal health care. Rather, I want to play angel's advocate and look at how it would help our society. Can't you play angel's advocate for once and see the positive that could come from this?
See also: advocate

be (the) devil's advocate

To argue against or attack an idea, argument, or proposition, primarily for the sake of debate or to further examine its strength, validity, or details. Refers to the "Advocatus Diaboli," a person employed by the Catholic Church to argue against the canonization of a saint (and therefore help determine if that person is truly worthy of sainthood). I'm all for universal health care, but I'll be devil's advocate in asking how the government intends to fund such a massive undertaking. Tom is always the devil's advocate in any given conversation because he loves picking apart other people's arguments.
See also: advocate

devil's advocate

One who argues against or attacks an idea, argument, or proposition—even if one is in favor of it—for the sake of debate or to further examine its strength, validity, or details. Refers to the "Advocatus Diaboli," a person employed by the Catholic Church to argue against the canonization of a saint (and therefore help determine if that person is truly worthy of sainthood). I'm all for universal health care, but let me be the devil's advocate for a moment. How do you propose the government fund such a massive undertaking? Tom always plays devil's advocate in any given conversation because he loves picking apart other people's arguments.
See also: advocate

play (the) devil's advocate

To argue against or attack an idea, argument, or proposition—even if one is in favor of it—for the sake of debate or to further examine its strength, validity, or details. Refers to the "Advocatus Diaboli," a person employed by the Catholic Church to argue against the canonization of a saint (and therefore help determine if that person is truly worthy of sainthood). I'm all for universal health care, but I'll play devil's advocate in asking how the government intends to fund such a massive undertaking. Tom is always playing devil's advocate in any given conversation because he loves picking apart other people's arguments.
See also: advocate, play
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

play (the) devil's advocate

Fig. to put forward arguments against or objections to a proposition-which one may actually agree with-purely to test the validity of the proposition. (The devil's advocate opposes the canonization of a saint in order to prove that the grounds for canonization are sound.) I agree with your plan. I'm just playing the devil's advocate so you'll know what the opposition will say. Mary offered to play devil's advocate and argue against our case so that we would find out any flaws in it.
See also: advocate, play
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

devil's advocate

One who argues against a cause or position either for the sake of argument or to help determine its validity. For example, My role in the campaign is to play devil's advocate to each new policy before it's introduced to the public . This term comes from the Roman Catholic Church, where advocatus diaboli (Latin for "devil's advocate") signifies an official who is appointed to present arguments against a proposed canonization or beatification. It was transferred to wider use in the mid-1700s.
See also: advocate
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

play devil's advocate

COMMON If you play devil's advocate in a discussion, you pretend to disagree with what someone says in order to make the discussion interesting or to make people think hard about an issue. My motive for playing devil's advocate is to provoke them into thinking about what we mean when we say something is `genetic'. Note: People also use devil's advocate to describe someone who acts in this way. Interviewers may take on the role of devil's advocate simply to see how effectively you can support your idea in the face of opposition.
See also: advocate, play
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

play devil's advocate

take a side in an argument that is the opposite of what you really want or think.
A translation of the Latin phrase advocatus diaboli , devil's advocate is the popular name for the official in the Roman Catholic Church who puts the case against a candidate for canonization or beatification; he is more properly known as promotor fidei ‘promoter of the faith’.
1994 Jude Deveraux The Invitation She had played devil's advocate with herself a thousand times.
See also: advocate, play
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

a/the devil’s ˈadvocate

a person who argues against something, even though they really agree with it, just to test the arguments for it: Helen doesn’t really think that women shouldn’t go out to work. She just likes to play devil’s advocate.
See also: advocate
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

devil's advocate, (to play)

To take a position against something that many others support, either for the sake of argument or to examine its validity. The term is a translation of the Latin advocatus diaboli, an official appointed by the Roman Catholic Church to argue against a proposed canonization. By the 1700s it was extended to broader use. R. Buchanan used it in The Heir of Linne (1887), “Even the Socialist party regarded him as a devil’s advocate, and washed their hands of him.” More recently, David Baldacci had it in Hour Game (2004), “‘Didn’t you try your best to convince me he was innocent?’ . . . ‘Just playing devil’s advocate.’”
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer
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References in periodicals archive ?
REPORT CRIMEIn fact, if during any time of employment the advocate comes to suspect that a crime was being or had been committed, he has to report to the police or he will be an "accessory after the fact".The exception also provides that the advocate must breach the advocate-client confidentiality if it is necessary to prevent a crime or fraud that will result in physical harm to any person or to substantial injury to the financial or property interests of any third party.
Why graft kingpins should now fear lawyers
At this, the bench directed the advocate general to come up with a satisfactory reply and adjourned hearing till April 11.
High court rejects AGP's another reply
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Oluoch says the clients were given an explanation as to how deductions were done, including the advocate fees.
Client sues MP Oluoch on claims he unfairly deducted legal fees
Advocate Clinic at Walgreens will be staffed with board-certified nurse practitioners employed, trained and supervised by Advocate Medical Group, a unit of Advocate Health Care and Illinois' largest medical group, with more than 1,300 providers at over 200 locations.
Walgreens forms partnerships with other providers
5) The full name of the advocate against whom disciplinary proceedings are being sought, as well as his/her affiliation, the reference data on the agreement of legal assistance (if applicable).
Legal regulation of advocates ethics in the Russian federation
The discussion that began in 2000 at the Live Organ Donor Consensus Group arrived at the following conclusion about the role of the independent living donor advocate.
The independent living donor advocate: an essential role for living kidney donation
You have not mentioned whether you and the advocate executed any agreement or exchanged any written communication defining the scope of services to be rendered by the advocate and the fee to be paid by you for the services to be provided by the advocate.
Legal View: Employment ban can be lifted if salary clause is met
Volunteer advocates for TPAPN provide encouragement and support to participating nurses that are working hard to recover.
TPAPN advocates: assisting nurses in their darkest--and brightest hours
New ownership at The Advocate of Baton Rouge, La., has put more momentum in the growth of its edition in New Orleans, its owner and publisher told the Crescent City's political leaders last week.
BATON ROUGE PAPER TAKES ON N. ORLEANS
The Judge Advocate General's Corps of the United States Army is composed of Army officers who are lawyers and who provide legal services to the Army at all levels of command.
The judge advocate general's corps of the United States Army
In the dictionary, there are just two definitions for the word advocate. But in the world of special needs parenting, the number of definitions runs into the hundreds.
Who gets to be an advocate?
During the ceremony, victim advocate Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (SW) Amy Vejil of Surface Warfare Medicine Institute, was named "Victim Advocate of the Year."
Victim advocates recognized for assisting Sailors
But in all fairness, the Taxpayer Advocate Service may be just the solution to an unresolved tax problem between you and Uncle Sam.
Taxpayer help from the IRS
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