▪ I. choose, v.
(tʃuːz)
Pa. tense chose (tʃəʊz), pa. pple. chosen (ˈtʃəʊz(ə)n). Forms: see below.
[OE. céos-an, str. vb., belonging to the OTeut. ablaut-series eu, au—u, u. By reason of internal consonant-mutation (s to z and r), in OTeut. and WGer., and by OE. palatalization of c, the inflexion of this vb. presented, in the OE. and early ME. stages, various phonetic differences, which were subsequently levelled under the influence of analogy; while new phonetic or analogical influences changed the present and past stems in various directions, so that not one of its modern forms is the normal phonetic representative of the corresponding OE. form. The OTeut. inflexion was keus-, kaus—kuzum, kuzano- (with original s changed to z by Verner's Law), Gothic kius-, kaus—kusum, kusans; in WGer. with development of z to r, kios-, kaus (OS. and OHG. kôs)—kuri—kurum, koran, whence OE. céosan, céas—cure—curon, coren (with c palatal in céosan, céas, but guttural in cur-, cor-). Hence regularly in ME., cheose (chēse, with close ē), cheas (chēs, with open ē)— 2 sing. cure,—pl. curen, coren. The first change upon this was the levelling of the consonant differences in the pa. pple. coren, which (though retained as corn, core, in s.w. dial. to 15th c.) was by 1200 assimilated to the general consonantism of the vb. as chosen (perh. through an intermed. choren: cf. chure in 2 s. pret.); this was subseq. often reduced to chose, but the full form is the survivor. By assimilation to this the pl. pret. curen became chosen, and in due course chose, still used. The prevalent ME. form of the pret. sing. was chēs; but there was also chās, app. repr. OE. c⊇ās, for céas. In later ME., and esp. in north. and n. midl. dial., these were also used for the pl.; and by similar levelling the pl. chose was also used as sing., app. only after 1500, and is now the standard form. In the pres. stem, OE. céose, early ME. chéose, normally gave chēse, cheese, which survived to c 1500, and later in Sc. But a type chōse appears in the 14th c. and lasted till c 1575 (in More, Coverdale, Ascham); before 1550 the type choose is found. Probably ME. chōse represented OE. c⊇ōse, for céose, and regularly passed into choose: cf. lose, in later pronunciation (luːz). The chief difficulty attaches to the type chuse. This was no mere variant spelling of choose, but a much earlier form, which occurs somewhat sporadically in ME., but became very frequent in 16th c. (when it rimed with amuse, refuse, excuse). Choose and chuse are used indiscriminately in the Bible of 1611 and the First Folio of Shakespeare: chuse was by far the prevailing form in 17–18th c., but has in the 19th been gradually superseded by choose, which Dr. Johnson, following Bailey, took as his leading Dictionary form, although in his own practice he appears to have spelt chuse.
(All other words in -use, as abuse, accuse, amuse, refuse, ruse, are of Fr. origin; and in some Sc. dialects chuse has still the sound of Fr. u. Of OF. choisir, Littré gives Picard forms keusir, Walloon chûzî, Rouchi chusir.)
On these various types of the present stem were formed weak types of the pa. tense, chesed, chosed, choosed, chused, used alongside of the various strong forms already mentioned; none of them are now recognized in standard English, though some exist in the dialects. Perhaps these were in some measure due to a tendency to identify the Eng. verb with the F. choisir—a tendency which is distinctly marked in the rise of the by-form choise, choised, formerly used in English, and still the ordinary word for choose in the South of Scotland.]
The complicated nature of these facts makes it necessary to illustrate the Forms apart from the sense-development.
A. Illustration of the Forms.
I. 1. pres. stem. † a. 1 ciose, céose, 2 cése, 2–3 cheose, 2–5 chese (chyese, chiese, chise, cheese, chees, chess, schese, Sc. cheyss, 5–6 cheise). Obs.
| Beowulf 2376 Þæt he..þone cynedom ciosan wolde. a 1000 Cædmon's Gen. 1867 (Gr.) He heht hine wine ceosan. a 1131 O.E. Chron. an. 1123 Þæt hi scoldon cesen hem ærcebiscop. a 1175 Cott. Hom. 219 Hi habben aȝen chire, to chiesen ȝief [h]y wolden..lufie. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 71 To þin aȝen us ches. a 1225 St. Marher. 3 Ich cheose hire to cheuese. a 1300 K. Horn 664 Þe fiss þat ihc wolde cheose. a 1300 Cursor M. 8409 (Cott.) Quam godd will chesse Kyng efter þe for-soth beess. Ibid. 8552 Chese [v.r. ches; chees, chose] quilk þou will. 1340 Ayenb. 86 Huer by he conne chyese þet guode. Ibid. 93 He..wolde chise..þe gostliche blisse. Ibid. 626 Þet..chyest al þet him may helpe. 1375 Barbour Bruce i. 43 To cheyss a king. 1382 Wyclif Phil. i. 22 What I schal cheese [1388 chese] I know not. c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. i. 84 Land to chees eke must thou yeme. c 1450 Lonelich Grail lvi. 339 Now Mown ȝe schese. c 1500 Lancelot 1611 For thow shuld euer chess apone sich wyss. 1528 More Dial. Heresyes iv. Wks. 247/2 Men may..chese and hold y⊇ right way. 1588 A. King tr. Canisius' Catech. 142 To doo guid and cheise yam ane right tred of lyf. |
† b. 4– 6 chose. Obs.
| c 1340 Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 451 To þe grene chapel þou chose. c 1340 Cursor M. 2462 (Fairf.) Þou chose to wone in queþer side, queþer þou choses [so always in this MS.]. c 1400 Destr. Troy 12339 Chose you sum cheftane, & charge hym þerwith. 1528 More Dial. Heresyes i. Wks. 165/2 We be likely to chose wel ynoughe. 1534 Tindale Phil. i. 22 What to chose I wot not [so Cranmer, and Geneva; Rhemish choose; 1611 chuse; Wyclif 1382 cheese, 1388 chese]. 1535 Coverd. Josh. xxiv. 15 Chose you this daye whom ye wyll serue. 1570 R. Ascham Scholem. (Arb.) 46 Ye shal not chose but speake rudelie. Ibid. 78 Nou chose you, you Italian English men, whether you will be angrie with vs. 1582 N. T. (Rhem.) Heb. xi. 25 Rather chosing to be afflicted [Wycl. chesynge; 1611 chusing, (mod. edd. and 1881 choosing]. |
c. 6– choose. The existing form.
| 1545 Udall Erasm. Par. Luke (1548) 82 b, He cannot choose but reuiue again. 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 253, I cannot choose but muse. 1568 Bible (Bishops') Zech. ii. 12 The Lorde..shal choose [Coverd. chose] Hierusalem yet agayne. 1667 Milton P.L. xii. 646 The World was all before them where to choose. 1800 Wordsw. 'Tis said that some, etc. iii, Sing another song, or choose another tree. |
d. (3) 4, 6–9 chuse arch. (The first quot. is of doubtful phonetic significance.)
| c 1300 St. Margarete 103 Chus weþer þu wold..to deþe beon ibroȝt Oþer honoury our godes. 1340–70 Alisaunder 140 Hee chused too chasen hem þere. c 1400 Mandeville 221 Who so wille not, may chuse. 1513 More Rich. III (1641) 404 To elect and chuse the most couragious. 1642 Rogers Naaman Ep. Ded. 2 How can our lives chuze but be sad. 1760 Johnson Idler No. 94 ¶1 At liberty to chuse their business. 1814 Scott Wav. ix, Would not Mr. Waverley chuse some refreshment after his journey? 1832 Country Houses III. vi. 208 In chusing carriages and jewels. |
II. pa. tense.
2. 1–3 pers. sing. † a. 1 céas, 2–3 cheas, chæs, 2–5 chēs (4–5 chees, chese, chess).
| a 1000 Ps. (Spelm.) cxviii[i]. 173 Bebodu ðine ic ceas. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 229 Þa aceas he him leorninchnihtes. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 139 He..ches þere crundel to halle. c 1200 Ormin 13930 Ne chæs himm nohht te laferrd crist. c 1230 Hali Meid. 15 He cheas hire. c 1369 Chaucer Dethe Blaunche 791, I chees [v.r. ches, chese] loue to my first crafte. c 1400 Mandeville 1 That lond he chees. a 1450 Knt. de la Tour 111 God ches and ordeyned hym. |
† b. 3–4 chās, 4–5 chaas, 5–6 chase (5 chace, mod. Sc. chaise).
| a 1300 Cursor M. 20914 (Cott.) Naild on þe rod he was, Als for-be he-self it chas [Edin. Gött., Fairf., wes..ches, Trin. was..chas; Cott. has ches in 20532]. a 1400 Cursor M. 9875 (Laud) A clene stede he chas. c 1410 Love Bonavent. Mirr. vi. (Gibbs MS.) Cryst..chaas þat is moste harde to þe fleche. c 1440 Hylton Scala Perf. (W. de W. 1494) i. lxx, He chase hym to his apostle. a 1450 Knt. de la Tour xiv. 20 And thus he chace her. 1484 Caxton Chyvalry i. 3 A wyse knyght..chaas to hym an heremytage. 1531 Elyot Gov. i. xx, Whom God chase..to be kynge. |
c. chose (the current form). [f. the plural.]
| 1526 Tindale Luke vi. 13 Of them he chose twelve [so all 16th c. vv., Wyclif chees]. 1611 Bible Acts xv. 40 Paul chose Silas, and departed. 1819 Byron Juan i. xix, A mortal..who chose to go where'er he had a mind. |
3. 2nd pers. sing. † 1–2 cure, 3 chure. (Afterwards fashioned on the 1–3 sing: now chosest.)
| a 1225 Juliana 60 Þu chure..abráám isahac & iacob. |
4. pl. † a. 1 curon, 2–3 curen. (So subj.)
| a 1000 Cædmon's Gen. 1803 (Gr.) Him ða wic curon. c 1205 Lay. 6888 Þe eorles..curen heom enne king [later text chosen]. |
b. [f. pa. pple.] 3–5 chose(n, 4– chose.
| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 543 He chosen hem wiues. 1297 R. Glouc. (1724) 400 Roberd Courtehese hii chose to cheuenteyne. c 1330 Arth. & Merl. 7389 Tho schosen thai..A noble knight. 1382 Wyclif Gen. vi. 2 Alle the whiche thei chosen [v.r. chesden]. 1393 Gower Conf. I. 30 Of Alemaine princes seven They chose. 1611 Bible Acts vi. 5 They chose Steuen [so all 16th c. vv.]. 1788 Franklin Autobiog. Wks. 1840 I. 204 [They] chose me to be colonel. |
† c. [f. sing. chēs.] 4–5 chesen, chese, ches (chees, chess). Obs.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 267 The Inglis þerto ches. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I. 283 Þe Romayns chees hym afterwardes. 1388 Wyclif Luke xiv. 7 Thei chesen [v.r. chosen, chesiden] the firste seetis. c 1400 Destr. Troy 9627 Þai..Ches hym for cheftain. |
† d. [f. sing. chās(e.] 5–6 chase. Obs. exc. Sc.
| c 1440 Generydes 1325 They chase hym kyng. c 1470 Harding Chron. (1812) 31 Thei all accorded by one assent, And chase Philip. 1555 Fardle Facions i. i. 28 That part of Arabia, that he, and his, chase to be theirs. |
5. weak infl. [f. chese] 4–5 chesid, -ed. 4–6 pl. cheseden, -iden, chesden. Sc. chesit. [f. chuse] 4, 6–8 chused. [f. chose] 6 chosed. [f. choose] 6–8 choosed.
| a 1340 Hampole Psalter Ps. xxi. 5 Þai chesid baraban þe thefe. 1340–70 Alisaunder 140 For þis enchesoun hee chused too chasen hem þere. 1382 Wyclif Gen. vi. 2 Which thei chesden [v.r. chosen]. ― Luke xiv. 7 Thei chesiden the firste seetis [2 MSS. chosen, 1388 chesen]. ― Acts vi. 5 Thei cheesiden Stheuene [2 MSS. chosen, 1388 chesiden]. c 1400 Apol. Loll. 41 He chesid to be maid þe lowist. 1535 Coverdale Isa. lxv. 12 Ye..chosed the thinge that pleased me not. a 1550 Christis Kirke Gr. viii, He chesit a flane. 1598 Chapman Iliad iv. 130 Mean space, with all his care he choosed. 1624 Heywood Gunaik. iii. 143 She..chused one who seemed to excel all the rest. 1722 Wodrow Corr. (1843) II. 688 Which they choosed rather to do. 1788 Lond. Mag. 538 As many goats as they chused to take. |
III. pa. pple.
6. strong. † a. coren, corn, koren, core. Obs.
(More freq. ycore pa. pple..)
| a 1000 O.E. Chron. an. 656 (end) And Cuðbald wæs coren to abbot. c 1205 Lay. 16354 Of hir ferde coren. 1330 Roland & V. (1836) 16 Our kinde lord y-corn. c 1330 Amis & Amil. 1431 That was so comly corn. 1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 415 Þei ben kindeli coren. Ibid. 407 Comelokur corn þan hur kynde askyþ. c 1420 Chron. Vilod. 409 When he was Kyng furst y Kore. Ibid. 1079 Willyham Conqueror to þe Kyndam of Englond was core. |
b. 3– chosen (4–5 -in, -yn, -un, etc.).
| c 1200 Ormin 15700 He þeȝȝm..chosenn haffde. c 1300 Cursor M. 10859 He has þe chosin [v.r. chosen]. 1389 in Eng. Gilds (1870) 62 Any of hem y{supt} is schosyn. 1398 Trevisa Barth. de P.R. xix. lxxiii. (1495) 900 A drope of chosen mylke. 1775 Johnson Tax. no Tyr. 39 He has chosen, or intended to chuse. 1875 Jevons Money (1875) 5 If any one commodity be chosen. |
c. [Shortened from b.] chose. Occasional in ME., but very frequent in 18th c.
| c 1350 Will. Palerne 3378 A stif man & a stern..cheue⁓tayn was chose. 1460 J. Capgrave Chron. 60 Poule was not chose be Crist in His lyve. 1704 Swift Batt. Bks. (1711) 241 We have chose to fill our Hives. 1709 Strype Ann. Ref. I. ii. xl. 53 The French King was chose of the Order. 1728 R. Morris Ess. Anc. Archit. 90, I have chose this Ionick Example. 1820 Southey Lett. (1856) III. 206 Since the armies..have chose to interfere. |
7. weak: cf. 5.
| 1513 Douglas æneis vi. iii. 139 The banis walit by and naitlie chosit. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. ccccxiv. 725 They be chosed men of warre. 1606 Chapman M. D'Olive Plays 1873 I. 211 In that freely choos'd obscuritie. 1631 ― Cæs. & Pomp. ibid. III. 128 Chus'd by him, To be his blacke Guard. |
B. Senses.
1. a. trans. To take by preference out of all that are available; to select; to take as that which one prefers, or in accordance with one's free will and preference.
| c 893 K. ælfred Oros. i. x. §1 Him sædon þæt..hie him woldon oðerra wera ceosan. c 1230 Hali Meid. 15 He cheas hire bimong alle wimmen for to beon his moder. 138. Antecrist in Todd 3 Treat. Wyclif 151 Antecrist cheseþ to hise discyples þe sotil and slyȝe. c 1449 Pecock Repr. iii. i. 278 Leuy and hise children..God chase to be preestis. 1580 Sidney Arcadia iii. (1590) 318 Chuse thee what armes thou likest. 1611 Bible Num. xvii. 5 The mans rod whom I shall choose, shall blossome. 1647 May Hist. Parl. iii. iii. 51 Writs of Election..for chusing new Members. 1684 Earl Roscom. Ess. Transl. Verse 96 Chuse an Author as you chuse a Friend. 1776 Gibbon Decl. & F. I. xii. 251 They chuse for the combat the darkest hour of the night. 1854 Kingsley Lett. (1878) I. 431 If each drop of rain chose where it should fall. 1856 Froude Hist. Eng. (1858) I. ii. 151 She had a right to choose the course which seemed the best to herself. |
b. Theol. Of God: ‘To elect for eternal happiness; to predestinate to life’ (J.). Cf. chosen.
c. with complement, as ‘to choose a man king’.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 10859 Vr lauerd has chosen þe his lemman [G. chosin to his lemman]. c 1430 Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 2523 Sir Aufreus thei chosen king. 1593 Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, i. iii. 65, I would the Colledge of the Cardinalls Would chuse him Pope. 1655–60 Stanley Hist. Philos. (1701) 37/1 How could he be chose Arbitrator? 1764 Foote Mayor of G. ii. i, Have unanimously chosen you Mayor. |
2. with inf. obj.: To determine in favour of a course, to decide in accordance with inclination. to choose rather: to resolve (to do one thing) in preference (to another).
| a 1340 Cursor M. 22092 (Edin.) Criste him seluin chese be borne in bethlem for ure ese. c 1400 Apol. Loll. 41 He chesid to be maad þe lowist. 1474 Caxton Chesse 4 Chees rather to dye than lenger to lyue. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 1 Some chose to go by the worlde and some by religion. 1611 Bible Heb. xi. 25 Chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season. 1729 Butler Serm. Wks. 1874 II. 34 [He] chooses to forego the pleasure, rather than endure the pain. 1856 Emerson Eng. Traits, Land Wks. (Bohn) II. 15 A wise traveller will naturally choose to visit the best of actual nations. |
3. The notion of a choice between alternatives is often left quite in the background, and the sense is little more than an emphatic equivalent of, To will, to wish, to exercise one's own pleasure in regard to a matter in which one is a free agent. a. esp. with inf. To think fit, to be pleased (to do so and so). not to choose (to do a thing): not to be pleased and therefore to forbear.
| 1619 Sanderson 12 Serm. (1635) 4 Hee chuseth to forbeare those meates. 1768 Goldsm. Good-n. Man iv. i, He chuses to remain concealed. 1773 ― Stoops to Conq. ii. i, When I travel, I always chuse to regulate my own supper. 1794 Burke Corr. (1844) IV. 253 The lot of those who will choose to go to sleep on the edge of Dover cliff. 1802 M. Edgeworth Moral T. (1816) I. xiii. 105 He did not choose to keep a clerk, who was not in his interests. 1850 Thackeray Pendennis xxvi, Pendennis chose to assume a very gloomy and frowning countenance. 1853 Arab. Nts. (Rtldg.) 269 He did not choose to speak to her in public. |
b. To wish to have, to want. vulgar.
| 1766 Goldsm. Vic. W. xxi, The landlady returned to know if we did not choose a more genteel apartment. 1788 G. Colman Ways & Means i. i, Do you chuse any refreshment, Sir? 1814 [see A. 1. d.] 1871 Schele de Vere Americanisms 453 A dish offered at table is declined with the words ‘I don't choose any’. |
† c. To take, accept, or embrace what is offered; not to refuse. (Only in OE.)
| Beowulf 2376 Þæt he..þone cynedom ciosan wolde. Ibid. 5629 Þæt wæs þam gomelan ᵹingeste word..ær he bæl cure. a 1000 Cædmon's Gen. 2442 (Gr.) Hie on þanc curon æðlinges est. |
4. a. intr. or absol. To exercise choice; to make a selection between different things or alternatives.
| c 1175 Cott. Hom. 219 To chiesen ȝief [h]y wolden hare sceappinde lufie, oðer hine ferleten. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 7885 Muche of þys lond wyllede Roberd Courthese To be Kyng of Engelond, ȝyf hii myȝte chese. c 1449 Pecock Repr. ii. viij. 184 If God take upon him forto pointe and chese. 1594 Hooker Eccl. Pol. i. vii. 2 To choose is to will one thing before another. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. ii. vii. 60 Here doe I choose, and thriue I as I may. 1722 De Foe Relig. Courtsh. i. i. (1840) 11 Give her leave to choose to her own liking. 18.. Prescott (O.) They had only to choose between implicit obedience and open rebellion. |
† b. To exercise one's own pleasure, do as one likes, take one's own way; esp. as an alternative to something suggested and rejected. Obs. or dial.
| c 1400 Mandeville xx. 221 Whoso that wole, may leve me ȝif he wille; and who so wille not, may chuse. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. i. ii. 51 If you will not have me, choose. a 1745 Swift Polite Convers. ii, Neverout. Miss, shall I help you to a pigeon? Miss. No, sir; I thank you. Neverout. Why, then you may choose. 1778 F. Burney Evelina I. xxi, If Miss does not think us fine enough for her, why to be sure she may chuse. 1887 S. Chesh. Gloss. s.v., ‘Ah sall choose tell him’ [I shall tell him or not, as I choose]. |
5. a. cannot choose: = have no alternative, cannot do otherwise, cannot help. (Also interrog..: see quot. 1595.) Obs. exc. as in b.
| a 1400 Cov. Myst., Abraham 54 Alas, dere childe, I may not chese, I must nedys my swete sone kylle. 1500 God Speed plough (Skeat) 35 Thus be we shepe shorne, we may not chese. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. xviii. 21 Without any rest, but at suche passages as they coulde nat chese. 1595 A. Day Engl. Secret. (1625) ii. 13 How can it otherwise chuse? is not the matter plaine and evident? 1607 Hieron Wks. II. 499 There are some differences of opinion, as it cannot bee chosen. 1610 Shakes. Temp. i. ii. 186 'Tis a good dulnesse, And giue it way: I know thou canst not chuse. 1709 Berkeley Th. Vision §101 We cannot choose seeing what part of the man is nearest to the earth. |
b. constr. with but. (arch.)
| 1542 Udall Erasm. Apoph. 272 b, Suche..crueltee..as could not choose afterwarde but redound to his..confusion. 1551 Robinson tr. More's Utop. (Arb.) 97 It cannot be chosen, but that they muste. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. iii. i. 120 Hee cannot choose but breake. 1650 T. B[ayley] Worcester's Apoph. 82 It is done, and you could not otherwise chuse but do what you did. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. ii. xxv, There cannot choose but be some whose interests are contrary. 1742 Richardson Pamela III. 321 Who can chuse but bless you? 1798 Coleridge Anc. Mar. i. vi, The wedding guest sat on a stone, He cannot choose but hear. 1886 Froude Oceana viii, When earth is so kind, men cannot choose but be happy. |
† 6. To ‘pick up’; to take, collect, or gather at pleasure. Obs.
| a 1300 K. Horn 664 Ihc wene þat ihc schal leose Þe fiss þat ihc wolde cheose. c 1320 Cast. Loue 1317 Such strengþe he him þo ches Þat prince of al þe world he wes. 1382 Wyclif Gen. xli. 18 Seuen oxen..the whiche in the pasture of mershe the grene leswis cheseden. |
† 7. To pick out by sight, distinguish, discern, perceive. Obs.
[An ancient sense; also in OHG. and in F. choisir.]
| a 1300 Havelok 2147 Men Mouhte se by þe liht A peni chesen, so was it briht. c 1340 Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 798 Chalk whyt chymnees þer ches he in-noȝe. 1340 Ayenb. 86 Huer⁓by hi conne chyese: þet guode uram þe kueade. c 1400 Destr. Troy 13509 By the chere of achilles he chese hym onone. |
† 8. a. to choose one's way or gate: to take one's way, proceed or go (of one's own accord). Obs.
| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2736 Ðo bi-thowte him moyses, and his weiȝe ðeðen ches. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 146 William..his way to Scotland ches. c 1340 Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 930 Chaplaynez to þe chapells chosen þe gate. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 1225 To-warde Castelle Blanke he chesez hym the waye. c 1400 Destr. Troy 490 The Knightes..Intill a chaumber..chosen þere way. |
† b. Hence simply to choose in same sense. Obs.
| c 1320 Sir Trist. 2642 Into bretein he ches. c 1340 Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 451 To þe grene chapel þou chose. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 1619 To-wardez Chartris they chese, these cheualrous knyghttez. c 1440 Sir Gowther 312 Til the hegh borde he chese. |
† c. intr. To ‘take’ or accede to (a course). Obs.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 51 If he wille þe lond ȝeld, & to þe pes chese. Ibid. 267 Þe Inglis þerto ches. Ibid. 270 Vnto þat conseil ches þe kyng of Almayn. |
† 9. To resolve upon, agree to have. Obs.
| c 1320 Sir Trist. 65 A turnament thai ches Wiþ kniȝtes stiþe on stede. |
† 10. refl. to choose oneself to: to set or devote oneself to. Obs. [The orig. constr. is doubtful; the pronoun may have been gov. by following to.]
| [a 1300 Cursor M. 144 Moyses Þat goddis folk to lede him ches.] Ibid. 13304 (Gött.) Þai þaim to þis lauerd ches, Alle þai forsoke þis worldes ese. c 1394 P. Pl. Crede 684 Falshed of freres haþ..maid hem to leuen Here charite and chastite, & [chesen] hem to lustes. c 1400 Destr. Troy 8270 Achilles, þou cheses þe fast, For to prese me with pyne. |
11. choose out. To pick out, select and take.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 2415 The strengeste me schal bi choys..chese out. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon xcii. 294 He chase out x. thousande of the moost valyauntes men in his company. 1611 Bible Ex. xvii. 9 Moses said vnto Ioshua, Choose vs out men. 1684 R. Waller Nat. Exper. 35 Chuse out the smoothest and evenest Glass Cane. 1928 P. Dearmer et al. Oxf. Bk. Carols 45 Joseph is chosen out from the other suitors by the budding of his rod. 1945 A. L. Rowse West-Country Stories 192 Sir Thomas Arundell, who chose out and fastened upon this spot. |
12. Phrases. to pick and choose: to select with careful scrutiny. † to choose: as a thing to choose; hence advb.: by choice, in preference. Obs. not much, not a pin (or the like) to choose between them: no ground of preference or difference.
| 1577 tr. Bullinger's Decades (1592) 190 They..can..picke and choose out the best. 1611 Shakes. Wint. T. iv. iv. 175, I thinke there is not halfe a kisse to choose Who loues another best. a 1663 Sanderson Wks. (1854) II. 260 (D.) But the worthy magistrate would meet with such a lion, to choose. a 1670 Hacket Abp. Williams ii. (1692) 222 (D.) The Scots, to chuse, prefer a monarchy before any other government. 1678 Butler Hud. iii. i. 1195 What made thee pick and chuse her out. 1742 Richardson Pamela II. 136 (D.) ‘Oh then,’ said Miss Darnford, ‘pray let us hear it, to choose.’ 1754 Edwards Freed. Will ii. §3 Contingence is blind, and does not pick and chuse for a particular sort of Events. 1887 Edna Lyall Knt. Errant xxi, I can't see that there's a pin to choose between me and the man who murders in sudden anger. |
▪ II. † choose, n. Obs.
Forms: 4 chos, Sc. choss, 4–6 chose, 5 chooce, 6, 7 choose.
[A variant of choice treated as verbal n. from choose, and assimilated in form to the verb. Perh. to a certain extent phonetic, oi being in 15–16th c. Scotch often reduced to o, e.g. rejose, jone; and conversely oi written for ō as rois, clois.]
1. The act of choosing, selection.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce iii. 264 Giff that thaim war set in choss, To dey, or to leyff cowartly. 1430 Lydg. Chron. Troy iii. xxii, Some will have of chose geseran. 1548 Gest Pr. Masse 105 Ye prophet prophesieth..of the succession, chose, and acceptaunce of a new [sacrifyce]. 1570–87 Holinshed Scot. Chron. (1806) II. 237 Of whom could they better take choose than of a king their neighbour? c 1620 Z. Boyd in Zion's Flowers (1855) Introd. 23 Referring to the said revisours to make choose of such of my Workis. |
2. Power, right, or privilege of choosing.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 8550 (Cott.) Mi lauerd..gis þe chose [Gött. choys] o thinges thre. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. lxiii. 85 Let them be at their chose. 1523 Fitzherb. Husb. §144 He is an vnhappy man..that god..putteth hym in chose, and woll chose the worst parte. |
3. Scope for choice.
| 1486 Bk. St. Albans D iij a, Off spare hawke bellis ther is chooce. |