Choose v. World English Historical Dictionary

Choose v. World English Historical Dictionary Dictionary Biographies Literary Criticism Welcome Terms of Service ⧏ Previous Next ⧐ Contents Slice Contents Key Bibliographic Record Murray’s New English Dictionary. 1893, rev. 2025. Choose v. Pa. t. chose, pa. pple. chosen. 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. ceās, 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. ceōse, for céose, and regularly passed into choose: cf. lose, in later pronunciation (lūz). 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 rhymed 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.

1   (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 chûsî, Rouchi chusir.)

2   On these various types of the present stem were formed weak types of the pa. t., 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.]

3   The complicated nature of these facts makes it necessary to illustrate the Forms apart from the sense-development.

4   A.  Illustration of the Forms.

5   I.  1. Present stem.

6   † 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.

7 Beowulf, 2376. Þæt he … þone cynedom ciosan wolde.

8 a. 1000.  Cædmon’s Gen., 1867 (Gr.). He heht hine wine ceosan.

9 a. 1131.  O. E. Chron., an. 1123. Þæt hi scoldon cesen hem ærcebiscop.

10 a. 1175.  Cott. Hom., 219. Hi habben aȝen chire, to chiesen ȝief [h]y wolden … lufie.

11 c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 71. To þin aȝen us ches.

12 a. 1225.  St. Marher., 3. Ich cheose hire to cheuese.

13 a. 1300.  K. Horn, 664. Þe fiss þat ihc wolde cheose.

14 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.

15 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.

16 1375.  Barbour, Bruce, I. 43. To cheyss a king.

17 1382.  Wyclif, Phil. i. 22. What I schal cheese [1388 chese] I know not.

18 c. 1420.  Pallad. on Husb., I. 84. Land to chees eke must thou yeme.

19 c. 1450.  Lonelich, Grail, lvi. 339. Now Mown ȝe schese.

20 c. 1500.  Lancelot, 1611. For thow shuld euer chess apone sich wyss.

21 1528.  More, Dial. Heresyes, IV. Wks. 247/2. Men may … chese and hold ye right way.

22 1588.  A. King, trans. Canisius’ Catech., 142. To doo guid and cheise yam ane right tred of lyf.

23   † b.  4–6 chose. Obs.

24 c. 1340.  Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 451. To þe grene chapel þou chose.

25 c. 1340.  Cursor M., 2462 (Fairf.). Þou chose to wone in queþer side, queþer þou choses [so always in this MS.].

26 c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 12339. Chose you sum cheftane, & charge hym þerwith.

27 1528.  More, Dial. Heresyes, I. Wks. 165/2. We be likely to chose wel ynoughe.

28 1534.  Tindale, Phil. i. 22. What to chose I wot not [so Cranmer, and Geneva; Rhemish choose; 1611 chuse; Wyclif 1382 cheese, 1388 chese].

29 1535.  Coverdale, Josh. xxiv. 15. Chose you this daye whom ye wyll serue.

30 1570.  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.

31 1582.  N. T. (Rhem.), Heb. xi. 25. Rather chosing to be afflicted [Wycl. chesynge; 1611 chusing, (mod. edd. and 1881 choosing)].

32   c.  6– choose. The existing form.

33 1545.  Udall, Erasm. Par. Luke (1548), 82 b. He cannot choose but reuiue again.

34 1568.  Grafton, Chron., II. 253. I cannot choose but muse.

35 1568.  Bible (Bishops’), Zech. ii. 12. The Lorde … shal choose [Coverd. chose] Hierusalem yet agayne.

36 1667.  Milton, P. L., XII. 646. The World was all before them where to choose.

37 1800.  Wordsw., ’Tis said that some, etc. iii. Sing another song, or choose another tree.

38   d.  (3) 4, 6–9 chuse arch. (The first quot. is of doubtful phonetic significance.

39 c. 1300.  St. Margarete, 103. Chus weþer þu wold … to deþe beon ibroȝt Oþer honoury our godes.

40 1340–70.  Alisaunder, 740. Hee chused too chasen hem þere.

41 c. 1400.  Maundev., 221. Who so wille not, may chuse.

42 1513.  More, Rich. III. (1641), 404. To elect and chuse the most couragious.

43 1642.  Rogers, Naaman, Ep. Ded. 2. How canour lives chuze but be sad.

44 1760.  Johnson, Idler, No. 94, ¶ 1. At liberty to chuse their business.

45 1814.  Scott, Wav., ix. Would not Mr. Waverley chuse some refreshment after his journey?

46 1832.  Country Houses, III. vi. 208. In chusing carriages and jewels.

47   II.  Past tense.

48   2.  1–3 pers. sing. † a. 1 céas, 2–3 cheas, chæs, 2–5 chēs (4–5 chees, chese, chess).

49 a. 1000.  Ps. (Spelm.) cxviii[i]. 173. Bebodu ðine ic ceas.

50 c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 229. Þa aceas he him leorninchnihtes.

51 c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 139. He … ches þere crundel to halle.

52 c. 1200.  Ormin, 13930. Ne chæs himm nohht te laferrd crist.

53 c. 1230.  Hali Meid., 15. He cheas hire.

54 c. 1369.  Chaucer, Dethe Blaunche, 791. I chees [v.r. ches, chese] loue to my first crafte.

55 c. 1400.  Maundev., 1. That lond he chees.

56 a. 1450.  Knt. de la Tour, 111. God ches and ordeyned hym.

57   † b.  3–4 chās, 4–5 chaas, 5–6 chase (5 chace, mod. Sc. chaise).

58 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].

59 a. 1400.  Cursor M., 9875 (Laud). A clene stede he chas.

60 c. 1410.  Love, Bonavent. Mirr., vi. (Gibbs MS.). Cryst … chaas þat is moste harde to þe fleche.

61 c. 1440.  Hylton, Scala Perf. (W. de W., 1494), I. lxx. He chase hym to his apostle.

62 a. 1450.  Knt. de la Tour, xiv. 20. And thus he chace her.

63 1484.  Caxton, Chyvalry, i. 3. A wyse knyght … chaas to hym an heremytage.

64 1531.  Elyot, Gov., I. xx. Whom God chase … to be kynge.

65   c.  chose (the current form). [f. the plural.]

66 1526.  Tindale, Luke vi. 13. Of them he chose twelve [so all 16th c. vv., Wyclif chees].

67 1611.  Bible, Acts xv. 40. Paul chose Silas, and departed.

68 1819.  Byron, Juan, I. xix. A mortal … who chose to go where’er he had a mind.

69   3.  2nd pers. sing. † 1–2 cure, 3 chure. (Afterwards fashioned on the 1–3 sing.: now chosest.)

70 a. 1225.  Juliana, 60. Þu chure … abráám isahac & iacob.

71   4.  plur. † a. 1 curon, 2–3 curen. (So subj.)

72 a. 1000.  Cædmon’s Gen., 1803 (Gr.). Him ða wic curon.

73 c. 1205.  Lay., 6888. Þe eorles … curen heom enne king [later text chosen].

74   b.  [f. pa. pple.] 3–5 chose(n, 4– chose.

75 c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 543. He chosen hem wiues.

76 1297.  R. Glouc. (1724), 400. Roberd Courtehese hii chose to cheuenteyne.

77 c. 1330.  Arth. & Merl., 7389. Tho schosen thai … A noble knight.

78 1382.  Wyclif, Gen. vi. 2. Alle the whiche thei chosen [v.r. chesden].

79 1393.  Gower, Conf., I. 30. Of Alemaine princes seven They chose.

80 1611.  Bible, Acts vi. 5. They chose Steuen [so all 16th c. vv.].

81 1788.  Franklin, Autobiog., Wks. 1840, I. 204. [They] chose me to be colonel.

82   † c.  [f. sing. chēs.] 4–5 chesen, chese, ches (chees, chess). Obs.

83 c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 267. The Inglis þerto ches.

84 1387.  Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), I. 283. Þe Romayns chees hym afterwardes.

85 1388.  Wyclif, Luke xiv. 7. Thei chesen [v.r. chosen, chesiden] the firste seetis.

86 c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 9627. Þai … Ches hym for cheftain.

87   † d.  [f. sing. chās(e.] 5–6 chase. Obs. exc. Sc.

88 c. 1440.  Generydes, 1325. They chase hym kyng.

89 c. 1470.  Harding, Chron. (1812), 31. Thei all accorded by one assent, And chase Philip.

90 1555.  Fardle Facions, I. i. 28. That part of Arabia, that he, and his, chase to be theirs.

91   5.  Weak inf. [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.

92 a. 1340.  Hampole, Psalter Ps. xxi. 5. Þai chesid baraban þe thefe.

93 1340–70.  Alisaunder, 140. For þis enchesoun hee chused too chasen hem þere.

94 1382.  Wyclif, Gen. vi. 2. Which thei chesden [v.r. chosen]. Ibid., Luke xiv. 7. Thei chesiden the firste seetis [2 MSS. chosen, 1388 chesen]. Ibid., Acts vi. 5. Thei cheesiden Stheuene [2 MSS. chosen, 1388 chesiden].

95 c. 1400.  Apol. Loll., 41. He chesid to be maid þe lowist.

96 1535.  Coverdale, Isa. lxv. 12. Ye … chosed the thinge that pleased me not.

97 a. 1550.  Christis Kirke Gr., viii. He chesit a flane.

98 c. 1611.  Chapman, Iliad, IV. 130. Meane space, with all his care he chusd.

99 1624.  Heywood, Gunaik., III. 143. She … out of many captiue virgins chused one who seemed to excell all the rest in feature and modestie.

100 1722.  Wodrow, Corr. (1843), II. 688. Which they choosed rather to do.

101 1788.  Lond. Mag., 538. As many goats as they chused to take.

102   III.  Pa. pple.

103   6.  strong. † a. coren, corn, koren, core. Obs.

104   (More freq. ȝe-coren, icorn, ykore, icore: see the compd. vb. YCHOOSE.)

105 a. 1000.  O. E. Chron., an. 656 (end). And Cuðbald wæs coren to abbot.

106 c. 1205.  Lay., 16354. Of hir ferde coren.

107 c. 1330.  Roland & V. (1836), 16. Our kinde lord y-corn.

108 c. 1330.  Amis & Amil., 1431. That was so comly corn.

109 1340–70.  Alex. & Dind., 415. Þei ben kindeli coren. Ibid., 407. Comelokur corn þan hur kynde askyþ.

110 c. 1420.  Chron. Vilod., 409. When he was Kyng furst y Kore. Ibid., 1079. Willyham Conqueror to þe Kyndam of Englond was core.

111   b.  3– chosen (4–5 -in, -yn, -un, etc.).

112 c. 1200.  Ormin, 15700. He þeȝȝm … chosenn haffde.

113 c. 1300.  Cursor M., 10859. He has þe chosin [v.r. chosen].

114 1389.  in Eng. Gilds (1870), 62. Any of hem yt is schosyn.

115 1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XIX. lxxiii. (1495), 900. A drope of chosen mylke.

116 1775.  Johnson, Tax. no Tyr., 39. He has chosen, or intended to chuse.

117 1875.  Jevons, Money (1878), 5. If any one commodity be chosen.

118   c.  [Shortened from b] chose. Occasional in ME., but very frequent in 18th c.

119 c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 3378. A stif man & a stern … cheuetayn was chose.

120 1460.  Capgrave, Chron., 60. Poule was not chose be Crist in His lyve.

121 1704.  Swift, Batt. Bks. (1711), 241. We have chose to fill our Hives.

122 1709.  Strype, Ann. Ref., I. II. xl. 53. The French King was chose of the Order.

123 1728.  R. Morris, Ess. Anc. Archit., 90. I have chose this Ionick Example.

124 1820.  Southey, Lett. (1856), III. 206. Since the armies in Spain and Naples have chose to interfere in state affairs.

125   7.  weak: cf. 5.

126 1513.  Douglas, Æneis, VI. iii. 139. The banis walit by and naitlie chosit.

127 1523.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. ccccxiv. 725. They be chosed men of warre.

128 1606.  Chapman, Mons. D’Olive, Plays, 1873, I. 211. In that freely choos’d obscuritie. Ibid. (1631), Cæs. & Pomp., ibid. III. 128. Chus’d by him, To be his blacke Guard.

129   B.  Senses.

130   1.  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.

131 c. 893.  K. Ælfred, Oros., I. x. § 1. Him sædon þæt … hie him woldon oðerra wera ceosan.

132 c. 1230.  Hali Meid., 15. He cheas hire bimong alle wimmen for to beon his moder.

133 138[?].  Antecrist, in Todd, 3 Treat. Wyclif, 151. Antecrist cheseþ to hise discyples þe sotil and slyȝe.

134 c. 1449.  Pecock, Repr., III. i. 278. Leuy and hise children … God chase to be preestis.

135 1580.  Sidney, Arcadia, III. (1590), 318. Chuse thee what armes thou likest.

136 1611.  Bible, Num. xvii. 5. The mans rod whom I shall choose, shall blossome.

137 1647.  May, Hist. Parl., III. iii. 51. Writs of Election sued out for chusing new Members upon death, or removall of any.

138 1684.  Earl Roscom., Ess. Transl. Verse, 96.        Then, seek a Poet who your way do’s bend, And chuse an Author as you chuse a Friend.

139 1776.  Gibbon, Decl. & F., I. xii. 251. They chuse for the combat the darkest hour of the night.

140 1854.  Kingsley, Lett. (1878), I. 431. If each drop of rain chose where it should fall.

141 1856.  Froude, Hist. Eng. (1858), I. ii. 151. She had a right to choose the course which seemed the best to herself.

142   b.  Theol. Of God: ‘To elect for eternal happiness; to predestinate to life’ (J.). Cf. CHOSEN.

143   c.  with complement, as ‘to choose a man king.’

144 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 10859. Vr lauerd has chosen þe his lemman [G. chosin to his lemman].

145 c. 1430.  Syr Gener. (Roxb.), 2523. Sir Aufreus thei chosen king.

146 1593.  Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., I. iii. 65. I would the Colledge of the Cardinalls Would chuse him Pope.

147 1655–60.  Stanley, Hist. Philos. (1701), 37/1. How could he be chose Arbitrator?

148 1764.  Foote, Mayor of G., II. i. Have unanimously chosen you Mayor.

149   2.  with infinitive obj.: To determine in favor of a course, to decide in accordance with inclination. To choose rather: to resolve (to do one thing) in preference (to another).

150 a. 1340.  Cursor M., 22092 (Edin.). Criste him seluin chese be borne in bethlem for ure ese.

151 c. 1400.  Apol. Loll., 41. He chesid to be maad þe lowist.

152 1474.  Caxton, Chesse, 4. Chees rather to dye than lenger to lyue.

153 1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 1. Some chose to go by the worlde and some by religion.

154 1611.  Bible, Heb. xi. 25. Chusing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season.

155 1729.  Butler, Serm., Wks. 1874, II. 34. [He] chooses to forego the pleasure, rather than endure the pain.

156 1856.  Emerson, Eng. Traits, Land, Wks. (Bohn), II. 15. A wise traveller will naturally choose to visit the best of actual nations.

157   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.

158   a.  esp. with infin. 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.

159 1619.  Sanderson, 12 Serm. (1635), 4. Hee chuseth to forbeare those meates.

160 1768.  Goldsm., Good-n. Man, IV. i. He chuses to remain concealed. Ibid. (1773), Stoops to Conq., II. i. When I travel, I always chuse to regulate my own supper.

161 1794.  Burke, Corr. (1844), IV. 253. The lot of those who will choose to go to sleep on the edge of Dover cliff.

162 1802.  Mar. Edgeworth, Moral T. (1816), I. xiii. 105. He did not choose to keep a clerk, who was not in his interests.

163 1850.  Thackeray, Pendennis, xxvi. Pendennis chose to assume a very gloomy and frowning countenance.

164 1853.  Arab. Nts. (Rtldg.), 269. He did not choose to speak to her in public.

165   b.  To wish to have, to want. vulgar.

166 1766.  Goldsm., Vic. W., xxi. The landlady returned to know if we did not choose a more genteel apartment.

167 1788.  G. Colman, Ways & Means, I. i. Do you chuse any refreshment, Sir?

168 1814.  [see A. 1. d.]

169 1871.  Schele de Vere, Americanisms, 453. A dish offered at table is declined with the words ‘I don’t choose any.’

170   † c.  To take, accept or embrace what is offered; not to refuse. (Only in OE.)

171 Beowulf, 2376. Þæt he … þone cynedom ciosan wolde. Ibid., 5629. Þæt wæs þam gomelan ʓingeste word … ær he bæl cure.

172 a. 1000.  Cædmon’s Gen., 2442 (Gr.). Hic on þanc curon æðlinges est.

173   4.  intr. or absol. To exercise choice; to make a selection between different things or alternatives.

174 c. 1175.  Cott. Hom., 219. To chiesen ȝief [h]y wolden hare sceappinde lufie, oðer hine ferleten.

175 1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 7885. Muche of þys lond wyllede Roberd Courthese To be Kyng of Engelond, ȝyf hii myȝte chese.

176 c. 1449.  Pecock, Repr., II. viij. 184. If God take upon him forto pointe and chese.

177 1594.  Hooker, Eccl. Pol., I. vii. 2. To choose is to will one thing before another.

178 1596.  Shaks., Merch. V., II. vii. 60. Here doe I choose, and thriue I as I may.

179 1722.  De Foe, Relig. Courtsh., I. i. (1840), 11. Give her leave to choose to her own liking.

180 1855.  Prescott, Philip II., V. i. (1857), III. 19 (O.). They had only to choose between implicit obedience and open rebellion.

181   † 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.

182 c. 1400.  Maundev., xx. 221. Whoso that wole, may leve me ȝif he wille; and who so wille not, may chuse.

183 1596.  Shaks., Merch. V., I. ii. 51. If you will not have me, choose.

184 a. 1745.  Swift, Pol. Conversat., ii. Neverout. Miss, shall I help you to a pigeon? Miss. No, sir; I thank you. Neverout. Why, then you may choose.

185 1778.  Miss Burney, Evelina, I. xxi. If Miss does not think us fine enough for her, why to be sure she may chuse.

186 1887.  S. Chesh. Gloss., s.v., ‘Ah sall choose tell him’ [I shall tell him or not, as I choose].

187   5.  Cannot choose: = have no alternative, cannot do otherwise, cannot help. (Also interrog.: see quot. 1595.) Obs. exc. as in b.

188 a. 1400.  Cov. Myst., Abraham, 54. Alas, dere childe, I may not chese, I must nedys my swete sone kylle.

189 1500.  God Speed plough (Skeat), 35. Thus be we shepe shorne, we may not chese.

190 1523.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. xviii. 21. Without any rest, but at suche passages as they coulde nat chese.

191 1595.  A. Day, Engl. Secret. (1625), II. 13. How can it otherwise chuse? is not the matter plaine and evident?

192 1607.  Hieron, Wks., II. 499. There are some differences of opinion, as it cannot bee chosen.

193 1610.  Shaks., Temp., I. ii. 186. ’Tis a good dulnesse, And giue it way: I know thou canst not chuse.

194 1709.  Berkeley, Th. Vision, § 101. We cannot choose seeing what part of the man is nearest to the earth.

195   b.  constr. with but. (arch.)

196 1542.  Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 272 b. Suche … crueltee … as could not choose afterwarde but redound to his … confusion.

197 1551.  Robinson, trans. More’s Utop. (Arb.), 97. It cannot be chosen, but that they muste.

198 1596.  Shaks., Merch. V., III. i. 120. Hee cannot choose but breake.

199 1650.  T. B[ayley], Worcester’s Apoph., 82. It is done, and you could not otherwise chuse but do what you did.

200 1651.  Hobbes, Leviath., II. xxv. There cannot choose but be some whose interests are contrary.

201 1742.  Richardson, Pamela, III. 321. Who can chuse but bless you?

202 1798.  Coleridge, Anc. Mar., I. vi. The wedding guest sat on a stone, He cannot choose but hear.

203 1886.  Froude, Oceana, viii. When earth is so kind, men cannot choose but be happy.

204   † 6.  To ‘pick up’; to take, collect or gather at pleasure. Obs.

205 a. 1300.  K. Horn, 664. Ihc wene þat ihc schal leose Þe fiss þat ihc wolde cheose.

206 c. 1320.  Cast. Loue, 1317. Such strengþe he him þo ches Þat prince of al þe world he wes.

207 1382.  Wyclif, Gen. xli. 18. Seuen oxen … the whiche in the pasture of mershe the grene leswis cheseden.

208   † 7.  To pick out by sight, distinguish, discern, perceive. Obs.

209   [An ancient sense; also in OHG. and in F. choisir.]

210 a. 1300.  Havelok, 2147. Men Mouhte se by þe liht A peni chesen, so was it briht.

211 c. 1340.  Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 798. Chalk whyt chymnees þer ches he in-noȝe.

212 1340.  Ayenb., 66. Huerby hi conne chyese: þet guode uram þe kueade.

213 c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 13509. By the chere of achilles he chese hym onone.

214   † 8.  To choose one’s way or gate: to take one’s way, proceed or go (of one’s own accord). Obs.

215 c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 2736. Ðo bi-thowte him moyses, and his weiȝe ðeðen ches.

216 c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 146. William … his way to Scotland ches.

217 c. 1340.  Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 930. Chaplaynez to þe chapells chosen þe gate.

218 a. 1400[?].  Morte Arth., 1225. To-warde Castelle Blanke he chesez hym the waye.

219 c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 490. The Knightes … Intill a chaumber … chosen þere way.

220   † b.  Hence simply To choose in same sense. Obs.

221 c. 1320.  Sir Tristr., 2642. Into bretein he ches.

222 c. 1340.  Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 451. To þe grene chapel þou chose.

223 a. 1400[?].  Morte Arth., 1619. To-wardez Chartris they chese, these cheualrous knyghttez.

224 c. 1440.  Sir Gowther, 312. Til the hegh borde he chese.

225   † c.  intr. To ‘take’ or accede to (a course). Obs.

226 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.

227   † 9.  To resolve upon, agree to have. Obs.

228 c. 1320.  Sir Tristr., 65. A turnament thai ches Wiþ kniȝtes stiþe on stede.

229   † 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.]

230 [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.

231 c. 1394.  P. Pl. Crede, 684. Falshed of freres haþ … maid hem to leuen Here charite and chastite, & [chesen] hem to lustes.

232 c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 8270. Achilles, þou cheses þe fast, For to prese me with pyne.

233   11.  Choose out. To pick out, select and take.

234 1297.  R. Glouc. (Rolls), 2415. The strengeste me schal bi choys … chese out.

235 a. 1533.  Ld. Berners, Huon, xcii. 294. He chase out x. thousande of the moost valyauntes men in his company.

236 1611.  Bible, Ex. xvii. 9. Moses said vnto Ioshua, Choose vs out men, and goe out, fight with Amalek.

237 1684.  R. Waller, Nat. Exper., 35. Chuse out the smoothest and evenest Glass Cane.

238   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.

239 1577.  trans. Bullinger’s Decades (1592), 190. They … can … picke and choose out the best.

240 1611.  Shaks., Wint. T., IV. iv. 175. I thinke there is not halfe a kisse to choose Who loues another best.

241 a. 1663.  Sanderson, Wks. (1854), II. 260 (D.). But the worthy magistrate would meet with such a lion, to choose.

242 a. 1670.  Hacket, Abp. Williams, II. (1692), 222 (D.). The Scots, to chuse, prefer a Monarchy before any other Government.

243 1678.  Butler, Hud., III. i. 1195. What made thee pick and chuse her out.

244 1742.  Richardson, Pamela, II. 136 (D.). ‘Oh then,’ said Miss Darnford, ‘pray let us hear it, to choose.’

245 1754.  Edwards, Freed. Will, II. § 3. Contingence is blind, and does not pick and chuse for a particular sort of Events.

246 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.

247 © 2025 WEHD.com