choice

Universal Words noun, adjective noun 1 [C] ~ (between A and B) an act of choosing between two or more possibilities; something that you can choose: women forced to make a choice between family and career * We are faced with a difficult choice. * We aim to help students make more informed career choices. * Resources are finite, and choices have to be made between competing priorities and needs. * There is a wide range of choices open to you. 2 [U,sing.] the right to choose or the possibility of choosing: If I had the choice, I would stop working tomorrow. * He had no choice but to leave (= this was the only thing he could do). * She's going to do it. She doesn't have much choice, really, does she? * This government is committed to extending parental choice in education. * After a delicious meal with free wine, the choice is yours: a quiet drink in the bar, the late night disco or a stroll along the beach beneath a starry sky. * Sandy had to tell his tale in halting Italian. Since Franco spoke no English, he had no choice in the matter. 3 [C] a person or thing that is chosen: She's the obvious choice for the job. * Hawaii remains a popular choice for winter vacation travel. * This colour wasn't my first choice. * She wouldn't be my choice as manager. * I don't like his choice of friends (= the people he chooses as his friends). 4 [sing.,U] the number or range of different things from which to choose: The menu has a good choice of desserts. * There wasn't much choice of colour. seealsoHOBSON'SCHOICE, MULTIPLE-CHOICE IDIOMS by choice because you have chosen: I wouldn't go there by choice. of choice (for sb/sth) (used after a noun) that is chosen by a particular group of people or for a particular purpose: It's the software of choice for business use. of your choice that you choose yourself: First prize will be a meal for two at the restaurant of your choice. moreatSPOILT adjective (choicer, choicest) [onlybeforenoun] 1 (especially of food) of very good quality 2 (AmE) (of meat) of very good, but not the highest, quality 3 ~ words / phrases carefully chosen words or phrases: She summed up the situation in a few choice phrases. * (humorous) He used some pretty choice (= rude or offensive) language.