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choose

[chooz]
verb (used with object), chose; cho·sen or (Obsolete) chose; choos·ing.
  1. to select from a number of possibilities; pick by preference: She chose Sunday for her departure.
  2. to prefer or decide (to do something): He chose to run for election.
  3. to want; desire: I choose moving to the city.
  4. (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.
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verb (used without object), chose; cho·sen or (Obsolete) chose; choos·ing.
  1. to make a choice, or select from two or more possibilities: Accepted by several colleges, the boy chose carefully.
  2. to be inclined: You may stay here, if you choose.
  3. (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.
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Verb Phrases
  1. choose up,
    1. to select (players) for a contest or game: The kids chose up sides for the game.
    2. to select players for a contest or game: We have to choose up before we can play.
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Idioms
  1. cannot choose but, cannot do otherwise than; is or are obliged to: He cannot choose but obey.
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Origin of choose

before 1000; Middle English chosen, chēsen, Old English cēosan; cognate with Gothic kiusan, Old High German kiosan (German kiesen); akin to Greek geúesthai to enjoy, Latin gustāre to taste (see gusto)
Related formschoos·a·ble, adjectivechoos·er, nounpre·choose, verb (used with object), pre·chose, pre·cho·sen, pre·choos·ing.re·choose, verb, re·chose, re·cho·sen, re·choos·ing.un·choos·a·ble, adjective
Can be confusedchews choose

Synonym study

1. Choose, select, pick, elect, prefer indicate a decision that one or more possibilities are to be regarded more highly than others. Choose suggests a decision on one of a number of possibilities because of its apparent superiority: to choose a course of action. Select suggests a choice made for fitness: to select the proper golf club. Pick, an informal word, suggests a selection on personal grounds: to pick a winner. The formal word elect suggests a kind of official action: to elect a representative. Prefer, also formal, emphasizes the desire or liking for one thing more than for another or others: to prefer coffee to tea.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
British Dictionary definitions for choose up

choose

verb chooses, choosing, chose or chosen
  1. to select (a person, thing, course of action, etc) from a number of alternatives
  2. (tr; takes a clause as object or an infinitive) to consider it desirable or properI don't choose to read that book
  3. (intr) to like; pleaseyou may stand if you choose
  4. cannot choose but to be obliged towe cannot choose but vote for him
  5. nothing to choose between or little to choose between (of two people or objects) almost equal
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Derived Formschooser, noun

Word Origin

Old English ceosan; related to Old Norse kjōsa, Old High German kiosan
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for choose up

choose

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.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

Idioms and Phrases with choose up

choose up

Select players and form sides for a game or team, as in Jean was always afraid she'd be last when it was time to choose up. [First half of 1900s]

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choose

In addition to the idiom beginning with choose

  • choose up

also see:

  • beggars can't be choosers
  • pick and choose

Also see underchoice.

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The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.