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Webster 1913 Edition

Choice

Choice

(chois)
,
Noun.
[OE.
chois
, OF.
chois
, F.
choix
, fr.
choisir
to choose; of German origin; cf. Goth.
kausjan
to examine,
kiusan
to choose, examine, G.
kiesen
. √46. Cf.
Choose
.]
1.
Act of choosing; the voluntary act of selecting or separating from two or more things that which is preferred; the determination of the mind in preferring one thing to another; election.
2.
The power or opportunity of choosing; option.
Choice
there is not, unless the thing which we take be so in our power that we might have refused it.
Hooker.
3.
Care in selecting; judgment or skill in distinguishing what is to be preferred, and in giving a preference; discrimination.
I imagine they [the apothegms of Cæsar] were collected with judgment and
choice
.
Bacon.
4.
A sufficient number to choose among.
Shak.
5.
The thing or person chosen; that which is approved and selected in preference to others; selection.
The common wealth is sick of their own
choice
.
Shakespeare
6.
The best part; that which is preferable.
The flower and
choice

Of many provinces from bound to bound.
Milton.
Syn. - See
Volition
,
Option
.

Choice

,
Adj.
[
Com
par.
Choicer
;
sup
erl.
Choicest
.]
1.
Worthly of being chosen or preferred; select; superior; precious; valuable.
My
choicest
hours of life are lost.
Swift.
2.
Preserving or using with care, as valuable; frugal; – used with of;
as, to be
choice
of time, or of money
.
3.
Selected with care, and due attention to preference; deliberately chosen.
Syn. - Select; precious; exquisite; uncommon; rare; chary; careful/

Webster 1828 Edition

Choice

CHOICE

, n.
1.
The act of choosing; the voluntary act of selecting or separating from two or more things that which is preferred; or the determination of the mind in preferring one thing to another; election.
Ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my moth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. Acts 15.
2.
The power of choosing; option.
Where there is force, there can be no choice.
Of these alternatives we have our own choice.
3.
Care in selecting; judgment or skill in distinguishing what is to be preferred, and in giving a preference.
I imagine Cesars apothems were collected with judgment and choice.
4.
The thing chosen; that which is approved and selected in preference to others; selection.
Nor let thy conquests only be her choice.
5.
The best part of any thing; that which is preferable, and properly the object of choice.
In the choice of our sepulchers bury thy dead. Gen. 23.
6.
The act of electing to office by vote; election.
To make choice of, to choose; to select; to separate and take in preference.

CHOICE

, a.
1.
Worthy of being preferred; select; precious; very valuable.
My choicest hours of life are lost.
My revenue is better than choice silver. Prov. 8.
2.
Holding dear; preserving or using with care, as valuable; frugal; as, to be choice of time or of advantages.
3.
Selecting with care, and due attention to preference; as, to be choice of ones company.

Definition 2024

choice

choice

English

Noun

choice ‎(countable and uncountable, plural choices)

  1. An option; a decision; an opportunity to choose or select something.
    • 2012 January 1, Steven Sloman, “The Battle Between Intuition and Deliberation”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 1, page 74:
      Libertarian paternalism is the view that, because the way options are presented to citizens affects what they choose, society should present options in a way that “nudges” our intuitive selves to make choices that are more consistent with what our more deliberative selves would have chosen if they were in control.
    Do I have a choice of what color to paint it?
  2. One selection or preference; that which is chosen or decided; the outcome of a decision.
    The ice cream sundae is a popular choice for dessert.
  3. Anything that can be chosen.
    You have three choices: vanilla, strawberry or chocolate‎
  4. (usually with the) The best or most preferable part.
    • Milton
      The flower and choice / Of many provinces from bound to bound.
  5. Care and judgement in selecting; discrimination.
    • Francis Bacon
      I imagine they [the apothegms of Caesar] were collected with judgment and choice.
  6. (obsolete) A sufficient number to choose among.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Shakespeare to this entry?)

Synonyms

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Adjective

choice ‎(comparative choicer or more choice, superlative choicest or most choice)

  1. Especially good or preferred.
    It's a choice location, but you will pay more to live there.
  2. (slang, New Zealand) Cool; excellent.
    Choice! I'm going to the movies.
  3. (obsolete) Careful in choosing; discriminating.
    • 1856, J. R. Planché (tr.), Fairy Tales by the Countess d'Aulnoy, The Princess Carpillon:
      Thus musing, he ate nothing; the Queen, believing that it was in consequence of his having been unkindly received, loaded him with caresses; she herself handed him some exquisite fruits, of which she was very choice.

Synonyms

Translations

See also

Anagrams

Etymology

From Middle English chois, from Old French chois ‎(“choice”), from choisir ‎(“to choose, perceive”), possibly via assumed Vulgar Latin *causīre ‎(“to choose”), from Gothic *𐌺𐌰𐌿𐍃𐌾𐌰𐌽 ‎(*kausjan, “to make a choice, taste, test, choose”), from Proto-Germanic *kauzijaną, from Proto-Germanic *keusaną ‎(“to choose”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵews- ‎(“to choose”). Akin to Old High German kiosan ‎(“to choose”), Old English ċēosan ‎(“to choose”), Old Norse kjósa ‎(“to choose”). More at choose.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /tʃɔɪs/
  • Rhymes: -ɔɪs

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