Search for: Choice
4461 Etymology dictionary, p. bucko (n.).2
term of address, 1883, originally nautical and with a sense of "swaggering, domineering fellow." Probably from buck (n.1) in the slang sense of "a blood or choice spirit."
4462 Etymology dictionary, p. check (n.1).3
… player's choices are severely limited. From that notion come the many extended senses: From the notion of "a sudden stoppage, hindrance, restraint" (1510s) comes …
4463 Etymology dictionary, p. choice (adj.).1
choice (adj.)
4464 Etymology dictionary, p. choice (adj.).2
"worthy to be chosen, distinguished, excellent," mid-14c., from choice (n.). Related: Choiceness .
4465 Etymology dictionary, p. choice (n.).1
choice (n.)
4466 Etymology dictionary, p. choice (n.).2
… is choice," from choice (adj.) blended with earlier chois (n.) "action of selecting" (c. 1300); "power of choosing" (early 14c.), "the person or thing chosen" (late 14c.), from Old …
4467 Etymology dictionary, p. choice (n.).3
… of choice. Choice replaced Old English cyre "choice, free will," from the same base, probably because the imported word was closer to choose [see note in OED].
4468 Etymology dictionary, p. choose (v.).2
… to choice. Variant spelling chuse is Middle English, very frequent 16c.-18c. The irregular past participle leveled out to chosen by 1200.
4469 Etymology dictionary, p. cooptation (n.).2
… , 1530s, "choice, selection, mutual choice, election to fill a vacancy" on a committee, board, or society, from Latin cooptationem (nominative cooptatio ) "election …
4470 Etymology dictionary, p. cost (n.).4
In phrases such as at all costs there may be an influence or echo of obsolete cost (n.) "manner, way, course of action," from Old English cyst "choice, election, thing chosen." Compare late Old English alre coste "in any way, at all."
4471 Etymology dictionary, p. creation (n.).2
… , appointment, choice," noun of action from past-participle stem of creare "to make, bring forth, produce, beget," from PIE root *ker- (2) "to grow."
4472 Etymology dictionary, p. dainty (adj.).2
… to "choice, excellent" (late 14c.) to "delicately pretty, exhibiting exquisite taste or skill" (c. 1400). Sense of "fastidious, affectedly fine, weak, effeminate" is from …
4473 Etymology dictionary, p. destine (v.).3
Originally in English of the actions of deities, fate, etc.; of human choices or actions, "predetermine, as by divine decree," from early 16c. Related: Destined .
4474 Etymology dictionary, p. diction (n.).2
… the choice of words, is from 1700.
4475 Etymology dictionary, p. dilemma (n.).3
Loosely, "choice between two undesirable alternatives," from 1580s. It should be used only of situations where someone is forced to choose between two alternatives …
4476 Etymology dictionary, p. doubt (v.).5
It replaced Old English tweogan (noun twynung ), from tweon "two," on notion of "of two minds" or the choice between two implied in Latin dubitare. Compare German Zweifel "doubt," from zwei "two."
4477 Etymology dictionary, p. either.3
… unavoidable choice between alternatives (1931) in some cases reflects Danish enten-eller, title of an 1843 book by Kierkegaard.
4478 Etymology dictionary, p. elective (adj.).2
… student's choice, first recorded 1847. As a noun, from 1701.
4479 Etymology dictionary, p. election (n.).2
… elecion "choice, election, selection" (12c.), from Latin electionem (nominative electio ) "a choice, selection," noun of action from past-participle stem of eligere …
4480 Etymology dictionary, p. election (n.).3
In Middle English also "act of choosing" generally, "choice, free choice" (c. 1400). The theological sense of "God's choice of someone" for eternal life is from late 14c. Meaning "act of choosing, choice" is from c. 1400.