English Reference
verb · noun

chose

v. · n.
US /ˈtʃoʊz/ UK /tʃˈəʊz/ chose UK spelling choses

  1. 01 A2 Elementary

    v.the past tense of 'choose'. You use this when you picked one thing instead of another in the past.

    v.the simple past indicative of 'choose'. It is used to describe a selection made prior to the moment of speaking.

    Simple

    She chose the blue dress for the party last night.

    In context

    After reviewing several competing proposals, the board finally chose the candidate with the most international experience.

    Pitfall
    I have chose the red one. I have chosen the red one.

    In standard English, 'chose' is the past tense, but 'chosen' is the past participle used after 'have' or 'had'.

  2. 02 C2 Proficiency TechnicalFormal Law

    n.a legal word for a piece of property or a right to something.

    n.a term in personal property law denoting a thing or a right to possession. Often appears in the phrase 'chose in action'.

    Simple

    The lawyer explained that the debt was a chose in action.

    In context

    The court had to determine whether the contractual right constituted a chose in action that could be legally assigned to a third party.

    Usage

    Pronounced like the French word 'chose' (shohz).

    chattelasset

From Middle French chose, from Latin causa (“cause, reason”). Doublet of cause.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin causa
Level A2 · Elementary
Frequency Common
Updated