Part 1881

<blockquote>The flower and <b>choice</b> Of many provinces from bound to bound. <i>Milton.</i></blockquote>

<cs><col>To make a choice of</col>, <cd>to choose; to select; to separate and take in preference.</cd></cs>

<syn>Syn. - See <er>Volition</er>, <er>Option</er>.</syn>

<h1>Choice</h1> <Xpage=251>

<hw>Choice</hw>, <tt>a.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>Compar.</tt> <er>Choicer</er> <tt>(?)</tt>; <tt>superl.</tt> <er>Choicest</er> <tt>(?)</tt>.]</wordforms> <p><b>1.</b> <def>Worthly of being chosen or preferred; select; superior; precious; valuable.</def>

<blockquote>My <b>choicest</b> hours of life are lost. <i>Swift.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Preserving or using with care, as valuable; frugal; -- used with <i>of</i>; <as>as, to be <ex>choice</ex> of time, or of money</as>.</def>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>Selected with care, and due attention to preference; deliberately chosen.</def>

<blockquote><b>Choice</b> word measured phrase. <i>Wordsworth.</i></blockquote>

<syn>Syn. - Select; precious; exquisite; uncommon; rare; chary; careful/</syn>

<h1>Choiceful</h1> <Xpage=251>

<hw>Choice"ful</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Making choices; fickle.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<blockquote>His <b>choiceful</b> sense with every change doth fit. <i>Spenser.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Choicely</h1> <Xpage=251>

<hw>Choice"ly</hw>, <tt>adv.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>With care in choosing; with nice regard to preference.</def> "A band of men collected <i>choicely</i>, from each county some."

<i>Shak.</i>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>In a preferable or excellent manner; excellently; eminently.</def> "<i>Choicely</i> good."

<i>Walton.</i>

<h1>Choiceness</h1> <Xpage=251>

<hw>Choice"ness</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>The quality of being of particular value or worth; nicely; excellence.</def>

<h1>Choir</h1> <Xpage=251>

<hw>Choir</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[OE. <ets>quer</ets>, OF. <ets>cuer</ets>, F. <ets>ch\'d2ur</ets>, fr. L. <ets>chorus</ets> a choral dance, chorus, choir, fr. Gr. <?/, orig. dancing place; prob. akin to <?/ inclosure, L. <ets>hortus</ets> garden, and E. <ets>yard</ets>. See <er>Chorus</er>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>A band or organized company of singers, especially in church service.</def> <altsp>[Formerly written also <asp>quire</asp>.]</altsp>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>That part of a church appropriated to the singers.</def>

<p><b>3.</b> <fld>(Arch.)</fld> <def>The chancel.</def>

<cs><col>Choir organ</col> <fld>(Mus.)</fld>, <cd>one of the three or five distinct organs included in the full organ, each separable from the rest, but all controlled by one performer; a portion of the full organ, complete in itself, and more practicable for ordinary service and in the accompanying of the vocal choir.</cd> -- <mcol><col>Choir screen</col>, <col>Choir wall</col></mcol> <fld>(Arch.)</fld>, <cd>a screen or low wall separating the choir from the aisles.</cd> -- <col>Choir service</col>, <cd>the service of singing performed by the choir.</cd></cs>

<i>T. Warton.</i>

<h1>Choke</h1> <Xpage=251>

<hw>Choke</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Choked</er> <tt>(?)</tt>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Choking</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[OE. <ets>cheken</ets>, <ets>choken</ets>; cf. AS. <ets>\'beceocian</ets> to suffocate, Icel. <ets>koka</ets> to gulp, E. <ets>chincough</ets>, <ets>cough</ets>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>To render unable to breathe by filling, pressing upon, or squeezing the windpipe; to stifle; to suffocate; to strangle.</def>