one thing that can be chosen from a set of possibilities, or the freedom to make a choice
گزينش، انتخاب
The best option would be to cancel the trip altogether.
Oxford Essential Dictionary
option
noun
a thing that you can choose same meaning choice:
You have the option of studying full-time or part-time.
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
option
op‧tion S1 W2 AC /ˈɒpʃən $ ˈɑːp-/ BrE AmE noun
[Word Family: verb: ↑opt, ↑coopt; noun: ↑option; adverb: optionally; adjective: ↑optional]
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: French; Origin: Latin optio 'free choice']
1. CHOICE [countable] a choice you can make in a particular situation ⇨ optional:
There are a number of options available.
He had two options.
This was not the only option open to him.
option for
a range of options for cutting costs
one/another option is to do something
Another option is to rent somewhere for six months.
option of doing something
She had the option of staying for an extra year.
Teenage mothers often have no option but to (=have no other choice except to) live with their parents.
2. keep/leave your options open to wait before making a decision:
I’m keeping all my options open for the moment.
3. COMPUTERS [countable] one of the possible choices you can make when using computer software:
Select an option from the main menu.
a list of options
4. easy option (also soft option British English) the choice which will be the least difficult, least strict, or need the least effort, which someone might choose because they are lazy:
Is community service just a soft option for criminals?
5. RIGHT TO BUY/SELL [countable] formal the right to buy or sell something in the future
option on
The government has agreed to buy 20 planes, with an option on a further 10.
Connor now owns 302,000 shares and options.
6. AT SCHOOL/UNIVERSITY [countable] British English one of the subjects that you can choose to study at school for an examination, or as part of a course at a college or university:
advice on choosing your options
7. SOMETHING ADDITIONAL [countable] something that is offered in addition to the standard equipment when you buy something new, especially a car
8. first option the chance to buy or get something before anyone else
first option on
They’ve agreed to give us the first option on their apartment.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ have an option At the moment, children have the option of leaving school at 16. | In a situation like this, you have two options.
▪ give/offer somebody an option Some employees were given the option of retiring early. | Buyers will usually be offered the option of paying in instalments.
▪ choose an option Fewer women are choosing the option of motherhood.
▪ go for an option (=choose an option) Which option do you think they'll go for?
▪ take (up) an option (=choose an option ) America was persuaded not to take up the option of military action.
▪ look at an option (=consider an option) You have to look at every option as your business develops.
▪ limit your options (=limit what you can choose to do) If you don’t go to college, it may limit your options.
■ adjectives
▪ a good/better option Renting a house may be a better option than buying.
▪ an attractive option (=one that sounds or is good) If time is short, taking the car to northern France is an attractive option.
▪ a realistic/real/serious option (=something that you can really choose to do) I wanted to start my own business but financially it was never a realistic option.
▪ a viable/practical option (=something you can choose that will be successful) Surgery may be a viable option when all else fails.
▪ a popular option Independent sixth-form colleges are becoming a popular option.
▪ a cheap option We urgently need to find a cheaper option than oil or gas.
▪ a safe option (=one that involves no risk) A special savings account can be a safe option.
▪ sb’s preferred option formal (=the option someone likes best) The new scheme appears to be the airport management’s preferred option.
▪ an easy option (also a soft option British English) (=a choice which is not difficult, or which needs the least effort) For most people, divorce is never an easy option.
■ phrases
▪ an option is open/available to somebody (=a particular choice is available to someone) Giving a prison sentence is only one of the options open to the judge.
▪ keep/leave your options open (=to not limit what you can choose to do later) Studying a broad range of subjects helps to keep your options open.
▪ have no/little option but to do something (=have no other choice than to do something) I had no option but to fire him.
▪ a range of options The council is considering a range of options for improving the city’s transport system.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ choice: choice of: The school seems OK, but there isn’t a great choice of courses. | have a choice (=be able to choose from several things): With her high grades and athletic skill, Celeste had her choice of colleges. | have no choice but to do something (=to be forced to do something because there is nothing else you can choose): Spooner says he had no choice but to file for bankruptcy. | wide choice (=a lot of things to choose from): There is a wide choice of hotels and hostels in the town.
▪ option one of the things that you can choose to do in a particular situation: He basically has two options: he can have the surgery, or he can give up playing football. | keep/leave your options open (=delay choosing so that you continue to have several things to choose from): I haven’t signed any contracts yet – I want to keep my options open.
▪ alternative one of two or more ways of doing something: Did you consider other alternatives before you moved in with Lucy? | alternative to: There is no practical alternative to our current policy. | have no alternative (=to not have a choice): He says he doesn’t want to see a doctor, but I’m afraid he has no alternative.
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
option
op·tion AW [option options] noun, verb [ˈɒpʃn] [ˈɑːpʃn]
noun
1. countable, uncountable something that you can choose to have or do; the freedom to choose what you do
• As I see it, we have two options…
• There are various options open to you.
• We are currently studying all the options available.
• Going to college was not an option for me.
• I had no option but to (= I had to) ask him to leave.
• ~ (of doing sth) Students have the option of studying abroad in their second year.
• ~ (to do sth) A savings plan that gives you the option to vary your monthly payments.
• He was given one month's imprisonment without the option of a fine.
• This particular model comes with a wide range of options (= things you can choose to have when buying sth but which you will have to pay extra for).
2. countable a subject that a student can choose to study, but that they do not have to do
• The course offers options in design and computing.
3. countable the right to buy or sell sth at some time in the future
• ~ (on sth) We have an option on the house.
• He has promised me first option on his car (= the opportunity to buy it before anyone else).
• ~ (to do sth) The property is for rent with an option to buy at any time.
• share options (= the right to buy shares in a company)
4. countable (computing) one of the choices you can make when using a computer program
• Choose the ‘Cut’ option from the Edit menu.
Word Origin:
mid 16th cent.: from French, or from Latin optio(n-), from the stem of optare ‘choose’.
Thesaurus:
option noun C, U
• As I see it, we have two options.
choice • • alternative • • possibility •
(a/an) real/realistic/viable/practical/obvious option/choice/alternative/possibility
(a) good/healthy/preferred/cheap/expensive option/choice/alternative
have the option/choice of doing sth
have/give sb/offer (sb) several options/choices/alternatives/possibilities
Option, choice or alternative? Alternative is slightly more formal than option or choice, and is more frequently used to talk about choosing between two things rather than several.
Synonyms:
option
choice • alternative • possibility
These are all words for sth that you choose to do in a particular situation.
option • something that you can choose to have or do; the freedom to choose what you do: ▪ As I see it, we have two options… ◊ ▪ Students have the option of studying abroad in their second year.
Option is also the word used in computing for one of the choices you can make when using a computer program: ▪ Choose the ‘Cut’ option from the Edit menu.
choice • the freedom to choose what you do; something that you can choose to have or do: ▪ If I had the choice, I would stop working tomorrow. ◊ ▪ There is a wide range of choices open to you.
alternative • something that you can choose to have or do out of two or more possibilities: ▪ You can be paid in cash weekly or by cheque monthly: those are the two alternatives.
option, choice or alternative?
Choice is slightly less formal than option and alternative is slightly more formal. Choice is most often used for ‘the freedom to choose’, although you can sometimes also use option (but not usually alternative): ▪ If I had the choice/option, I would… ◊ If I had the alternative, I would… ◊ ▪ parental choice in education ◊ parental option/alternative in education. Things that you can choose are options, choices or alternatives. However, alternative is more frequently used to talk about choosing between two things rather than several.
possibility • one of the different things that you can do in a particular situation: ▪ We need to explore a wide range of possibilities. ◊ ▪ The possibilities are endless.
Possibility can be used in a similar way to option, choice and alternative, but the emphasis here is less on the need to make a choice, and more on what is available.
with/without the option/choice/possibility of sth
a(n) good/acceptable/reasonable/possible option/choice/alternative
the only option/choice/alternative/possibility open to sb
to have a/an/the option/choice of doing sth
to have no option/choice/alternative but to do sth)
a number/range of options/choices/alternatives/possibilities
Example Bank:
• Deciding on your best option is not easy.
• He thought General Studies would be a soft option.
• He was jailed without the option of a fine.
• He's promised me first option on his car.
• Let's look at all the options available.
• Look at the on-screen menu and select the ‘File’ option.
• Resignation was her only option.
• She took up an option in her contract to buy three million shares.
• We had no option but to leave without them.
• You have the option of taking your holiday early.
• You have the option of working full-time or part-time.
• A savings plan gives you the option to vary your monthly payments.
• He was given one month's imprisonment without the option of a fine.
• I had no option but to ask him to leave.
• It is important at this stage to leave your options open.
• There was not much option but to sell the company.
• This particular model comes with a wide range of options.
Idioms: keep your options open ▪ soft option
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
option / ˈɒp.ʃ ə n / / ˈɑːp- / noun
B1 [ C or U ] one thing that can be chosen from a set of possibilities, or the freedom to make a choice:
The best option would be to cancel the trip altogether.
There are various options open to someone who is willing to work hard.
They didn't leave him much option - either he paid or they'd beat him up.
[ C ] specialized the right to buy something in the future:
a share option
The publishers decided not to take up their option on the paperback version.
have no option (but to do something) C1 to have to do a particular thing because there is no possibility of doing anything else:
After her appalling behaviour, we had no option but to dismiss her.
© Cambridge University Press 2013
Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary
option
[ɒ̱pʃ(ə)n]
♦♦
options
1) N-COUNT An option is something that you can choose to do in preference to one or more alternatives.
He's argued from the start that America and its allies are putting too much emphasis on the military option...
What other options do you have?
Syn:
choice
2) N-SING: oft N of n/-ing, N to-inf If you have the option to do something, you can choose whether to do it or not.
Criminals are given the option of going to jail or facing public humiliation...
We had no option but to abandon the meeting.
Syn:
choice
3) N-COUNT In business, an option is an agreement or contract that gives someone the right to buy or sell something such as property or shares at a future date. [TECHNICAL]
Each bank has granted the other an option on 19.9% of its shares.
4) N-COUNT An option is one of a number of subjects which a student can choose to study as a part of his or her course.
Several options are offered for the student's senior year.
5) PHRASE: V inflects If you keep your options open or leave your options open, you delay making a decision about something.
I am keeping my options open. I have not made a decision on either matter.
Ant:
commit yourself
6) PHRASE: N inflects If you take the soft option, you do the thing that is easiest or least likely to cause trouble in a particular situation. [mainly BRIT]
We take the soft option. I like to keep the crowd happy because that's what they pay for...
The job of chairman can no longer be regarded as a convenient soft option.
Syn:
easy option
Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary
option
op·tion /ˈɑːpʃən/ noun, pl -tions [count]
1 : the opportunity or ability to choose something or to choose between two or more things
• You have the option of staying home or coming with us.
• He has the option to cancel the deal.
• Given the option [=choice], I'd rather stay home tonight.
• I'll probably take the job, but I'm leaving/keeping my options open [=waiting to decide; not making a final decision yet] for now.
2 : something that can be chosen : a choice or possibility
• For us, quitting is not an option. [=we cannot quit]
• You must accept the contract. There are no other options. [=alternatives]
• We have a wide range of options available to us.
• Menu options at the café include soups, salads, and sandwiches.
• Select an option from the drop-down menu.
• Filing taxes online is an option for people with Internet access.
• I had no option but to start over.
• A good/better option is to do the work yourself.
• The scandal left him no option but to resign. [=forced him to resign]
3 : a right to buy or sell something for a specified price during a specified period of time
• Employees will each be granted/given options to buy 1,000 shares of company stock.
• The option must be exercised within five years.
• The company has taken an option on some land nearby. [=it has obtained the right to buy the land at a particular price]
• The ad is for a condo to rent with an option to buy. [=a condo that you can choose to eventually buy for a specified price]
- see also stock option
4 : an extra part or feature that you can pay to have in addition to the regular features that come with something you are buying
• A sunroof was one of the options that you could get with the car.
5 Brit : a class that is not required in a particular course of study : elective
• I took an option in history last year.