chuse

See also: chūsè

English

Verb

chuse (third-person singular simple present chuses, present participle chusing or chuseing, simple past chused or chose, past participle chused or chosen)

Obsolete spelling of choose.
- 1557, Sir Thomas Wyatt, Tottel's Miscellany, Whether libertie by losse of life, or life in prison and thraldome be to be preferred, page 298:
  Rather therfore to chuſe me thinketh wiſdome.
  By loſſe of life libertye, then life by priſon
- 1739, [David Hume], “Of the Influencing Motives of the Will”, in A Treatise of Human Nature: […], book II (Of the Passions), London: […] John Noon, […], →OCLC, part III (Of the Will and Direct Passions), page 249:
  Secondly, VVhen in exerting any paſſion in action, vve chuſe means inſufficient for the deſign'd end, and deceive ourſelves in our judgment of cauſes and effects.
- 1785, [George Colman the Younger], Songs, Duetts, Trios, &c. N^[sic] Turk and No Turk; a Musical Comedy. Performed at the Theatre-Royal in the Hay-Market., London: […] T. Cadell, […], page 21:
  Your maſter, young man, may a laſs adore--- / For his laſs, ’tis confeſt, / He has choſen the beſt; / But he chuſes a woeful ambaſſador!
- 1808, [Hannah More], chapter XXI, in Cœlebs in Search of a Wife. […], volume I, London: […] [Strahan and Preston] for T[homas] Cadell and W[illiam] Davies, […], →OCLC, page 299:
  But if the Almighty choſe to eſtabliſh his religion by miracles, he chuſes to carry it on by means.
- 1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], chapter II, in Pride and Prejudice: […], volume I, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC, page 13:
  "Now, Kitty, you may cough as much as you chuse," said Mr. Bennet; […]
- 1820, [Walter Scott], chapter XIII, in The Abbot. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne & Co.] for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […]; and for Archibald Constable and Company, and John Ballantyne, […], →OCLC, pages 275–276:
  Our Fathers must hide themselves rather like robbers who chuse a leader, than godly priests who elect a mitred Abbot.
- 1838 (date written), L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter V, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], published 1842, →OCLC, page 45:
  "I wonder how you can bear that odious woman's manners," returned her mother; "I expect that you will all grow like her in time. But it is of no use my saying anything; you will go if you chuse." / "Oh, thank you, mamma," cried Georgiana, not chusing to hear any more, and down stairs she ran to communicate the permission.

Derived terms

chuser

Middle English

Verb

chuse

Alternative form of chesen