selectverb [ I or T ]
uk/sɪˈlekt/us/səˈlekt/B1 to choose a small number of things, or to choose by making careful decisions:
There was a choice of four prizes, and the winner could select one of them.
A mouse is a device which makes it easier to select different options from computer menus.
How do you select people for promotion?
[ + obj + to infinitive ] He was selected to play for Australia at the age of only 18.
More examples
- He was selected to play for Australia at the age of only 18.
- I selected the best staff available.
- The judges will select the best from this year's crop of first novels.
- When you have selected the file you want, click the 'Open' box.
- Click 'Tools', then select 'Options' from the pull-down menu.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Taking and choosing
- accord
- adopt
- adopted
- adoption
- appoint
- bags I... idiom
- dip
- easy option
- either-or
- elect
- empanel
- go off with sth
- have/keep your options open idiom
- selection
- selective
- selector
- self-selected
- single sb/sth out
- skim sb/sth off
- slate
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selectadjective
uk/sɪˈlekt/us/səˈlekt/of only the best type or highest quality, and usually small in size or amount:
It's a very select club - I've been trying unsuccessfully to join it for years.
These activities should be available to all students, not just a select few.
Hamilton lives in a very select part of Boston.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Extremely good
- admirable
- amazing
- ask for sb/sth
- award-winning
- awesome
- bowl
- brilliant
- incomparable
- incredible
- inspired
- irreplaceable
- life is just a bowl of cherries idiom
- outstanding
- parallel
- sick
- superlatively
- supremacy
- supreme
- terrific
- textbook
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