1. (n.) The act of comparing two or more things together; comparison.

2. (n.) The act of consulting together formally; serious conversation or discussion; interchange of views.

3. (n.) A meeting for consultation, discussion, or an interchange of opinions.

4. (n.) A meeting of the two branches of a legislature, by their committees, to adjust between them.

5. (n.) A stated meeting of preachers and others, invested with authority to take cognizance of ecclesiastical matters.

6. (n.) A voluntary association of Congregational churches of a district; the district in which such churches are.

British Cabinet Council of Nicaea Council of Trent Lateran Council Sanhedrin US Cabinet Vatican Council advisory body airing analysis archbishopric archdiocese assembly association attention audience audition bargaining bargaining session bench bishopric board body of advisers borough council brain trust bugging bull session buzz session cabinet camarilla canvassing chamber chapter circuit city council classis colloquium colloquy common council conciliarism conclave confab confabulation confrontation congregation congress consideration consistory consultation consultative assembly convention convocation council council fire council of ministers council of state council of war county council court debate debating deliberation deliberative assembly dialectic dialogue diet diocesan conference diocese directory discussion divan ear eavesdropping ecclesiastical council ecumenical council electronic surveillance examination exchange of views eyeball-to-eyeball encounter favorable attention forum hearing high-level talk huddle interchange of views interview investigation joint discussion junta kitchen cabinet legislature listening listening in logical analysis logical discussion loop meeting negotiations news conference open discussion open forum palaver panel discussion parish parish council parley parochial church council parochial council plenary council pourparler powwow presbytery press conference privy council province rap rap session review round robin round table seance see seminar session sitting soviet staff study summit summit conference summitry symposium syndicate synod talk town meeting treatment tribunal tryout ventilation vestry wheel wiretapping