Library / English Dictionary

CHOOSE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected forms: chose    , chosen   

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives

Example:

She selected a pair of shoes from among the dozen the salesgirl had shown her

Synonyms:

choose; pick out; select; take

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "choose" is one way to...):

decide; determine; make up one's mind (reach, make, or come to a decision about something)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "choose"):

vote (express one's preference for a candidate or for a measure or resolution; cast a vote)

nominate; propose (put forward; nominate for appointment to an office or for an honor or position)

elect (select by a vote for an office or membership)

vote in (elect in a voting process)

screen; screen out; sieve; sort (examine in order to test suitability)

adopt; espouse; follow (choose and follow; as of theories, ideas, policies, strategies or plans)

define; determine; fix; limit; set; specify (decide upon or fix definitely)

think of (choose in one's mind)

single out (select from a group)

assign; set apart; specify (select something or someone for a specific purpose)

pick over; sieve out (separate or remove)

cream off; skim off (pick the best)

cull out; winnow (select desirable parts from a group or list)

excerpt; extract; take out (take out of a literary work in order to cite or copy)

elect (choose)

pick (select carefully from a group)

go; plump (give support (to) or make a choice (of) one out of a group or number)

dial (choose by means of a dial)

draw (select or take in from a given group or region)

sieve; sift (distinguish and separate out)

field (select (a team or individual player) for a game)

anoint (choose by or as if by divine intervention)

empanel; impanel; panel (select from a list)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

They choose him to write the letter

Sense 2

Meaning:

Select as an alternative over another

Example:

She opted for the job on the East coast

Synonyms:

choose; opt; prefer

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

"Choose" entails doing...:

compare (examine and note the similarities or differences of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "choose"):

cop out; opt out (choose not to do something, as out of fear of failing)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Sentence example:

They choose him to write the letter

Sense 3

Meaning:

See fit or proper to act in a certain way; decide to act in a certain way

Example:

She chose not to attend classes and now she failed the exam

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "choose" is one way to...):

evaluate; judge; pass judgment (form a critical opinion of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s that CLAUSE
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE

Credits

 Context examples: 

Limiting foods rich in dietary cholesterol, such as eggs, may be important to consider when choosing a healthy eating pattern.

(Eggs No Longer Part of a Healthy Diet?, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

I believe there never was anybody with such an imperturbable countenance when she chose.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

His hand actually seemed like a steel vice that could have crushed mine if he had chosen.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

It was because nothing daunted him that he had been chosen for government courier.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

Mr. Bhaer left it all to her, so she chose a pretty gown for Tina, and then ordered out the shawls.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

He spoke in a slow staccato fashion, choosing his words with care, and gave the impression generally of a man of learning and letters who had had ill-usage at the hands of fortune.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“You little knew what you were choosing,” I laughed.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Mice showed a strong preference for spending time in the reward quadrant, freely choosing to spend more than 70 percent of their time in this area.

(New Findings Reveal Surprising Role of the Cerebellum in Reward and Social Behaviors, National Institutes of Health)

“We chose these songs because they’re more popularly accepted,” Valenti noted.

(Music believed to boost hypertension treatment, Agenciabrasil/EBC)

“Well,” says I, growing a bit bolder, “if I'm to choose, I declare I have a right to know what's what, and why you're here, and where my friends are.”

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)