verb (used with object), chose; cho·sen or (Obsolete) chose; choos·ing.
- to select from a number of possibilities; pick by preference: She chose Sunday for her departure.
- to prefer or decide (to do something): He chose to run for election.
- to want; desire: I choose moving to the city.
- (especially in children’s games) to contend with (an opponent) to decide, as by odd or even, who will do something: I’ll choose you to see who gets to bat first.
verb (used without object), chose; cho·sen or (Obsolete) chose; choos·ing.
- to make a choice, or select from two or more possibilities: Accepted by several colleges, the boy chose carefully.
- to be inclined: You may stay here, if you choose.
- (especially in children’s games) to decide, as by means of odd or even, who will do something: Let’s choose to see who bats first.
Verb Phrases
- choose up,
- to select (players) for a contest or game: The kids chose up sides for the game.
- to select players for a contest or game: We have to choose up before we can play.
Idioms
- cannot choose but, cannot do otherwise than; is or are obliged to: He cannot choose but obey.
verb chooses, choosing, chose or chosen
- to select (a person, thing, course of action, etc) from a number of alternatives
- (tr; takes a clause as object or an infinitive) to consider it desirable or properI don’t choose to read that book
- (intr) to like; pleaseyou may stand if you choose
- cannot choose but to be obliged towe cannot choose but vote for him
- nothing to choose between or little to choose between (of two people or objects) almost equal
v.Old English ceosan “choose, seek out, select; decide, test, taste, try; accept, approve” (class II strong verb; past tense ceas, past participle coren), from Proto-Germanic *keus- (cf. Old Frisian kiasa, Old Saxon kiosan, Dutch kiezen, Old High German kiosan, German kiesen, Old Norse kjosa, Gothic kiusan “choose,” Gothic kausjan “to taste, test”), from PIE root *geus- “to taste, relish” (see gusto). Only remotely related to choice. Variant spelling chuse is Middle English, very frequent 16c.-18c. The irregular past participle leveled out to chosen by 1200. In addition to the idiom beginning with choose
also see:
Also see underchoice.