Home UK English select

Meaning of select in English:

select

Pronunciation /sɪˈlɛkt/

See synonyms for select

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verb

[with object]

  • 1Carefully choose as being the best or most suitable.

    ‘children must select their GCSE subjects’
    • ‘he has been selected to take part’
    • ‘you can select from a range of quality products’
    • ‘Potential students select from available programs, typically within their own cities or states.’
    • ‘Young teachers felt proud to be appointed and we could select from the best available.’
    • ‘Two terms of elective subjects follow in which students may select from a wide variety of courses.’
    • ‘You don't have the freedom to go everywhere, but you must often select from branching paths.’
    • ‘Eleven of the 40 amplified samples were selected randomly for DNA sequence analysis.’
    • ‘Thirty sites were selected randomly from this list for further evaluation for inclusion in the project.’
    • ‘Texts are carefully selected to represent topics that are relevant to the child's world.’
    • ‘Panelists are carefully selected to participate in the sensory evaluations.’
    • ‘Political parties usually have one powerful leader who carefully selects candidates from different socio-economic, regional, and ethnic backgrounds.’
    • ‘Colonies were then selected on the basis of size differences.’
    • ‘Winners were selected on the basis of statistics provided by the Billboard Information Group.’
    • ‘Of those who agreed, the post office then selected which branches to close.’
    • ‘More than 5,000 pupils nominated their favourite teachers and the five winners were selected by a panel of judges.’
    • ‘While there were many people vying, only one candidate was selected to represent the party.’
    • ‘Special prizes will be granted to winners selected by an expert jury in early December.’
    • ‘Williams was originally selected in the second round of the 1998 NBA Draft by Chicago.’
    • ‘The recipient is selected by a committee of past award recipients.’
    • ‘A shortlist of 100 entries will be selected by a panel of judges.’
    • ‘Respondents are also informed as to how and why they were selected to participate.’
    • ‘Studies found that news stories involving national security are more likely to be selected by editors.’
    choose, pick, hand-pick, single out, pick out, sort out, take, opt for, decide on, settle on, set, fix, fix on, adopt, determine, designate, name, nominate, appoint, elect, specify, stipulate, prefer, favour
    View synonyms
    1. 1.1select for/againstBiology no object (in terms of evolution) determine whether (a characteristic or organism) will survive.
      ‘the commonest phenotype in a population can be selected against’
      • ‘As in life, evolution selects for maximal ability to reproduce.’
      • ‘Changes that impair performance of the proper function sufficiently to have fitness consequences for the organism will be selected against.’
      • ‘Perhaps the possibility should be considered that evolution selects for beings that imagine their own species exempt from natural selection and possible extinction.’
      • ‘For example, in the evolution of selfing and outcrossing in plants, inbreeding initially selects against selfing lineages by lowering mean fitness.’
      • ‘That allows him to argue that social evolution selects for individual adaptations better serving such needs.’
    2. 1.2Mark (an option or section of text) on an electronic interface for a particular operation.
      ‘click Tools on the menu bar and select Settings’
      • ‘Use the pull down menu to select the type of screen saver you want to use.’
      • ‘At the next screen you can select the VPN option and then give it a meaningful name at the screen after that.’
      • ‘After you select the database, a screen similar to the one shown in Figure 2 appears.’
      • ‘Just visit the Mouse Properties dialog box and select the Buttons tab.’
      • ‘The first time you start, you should get a dialog box that lets you select the modem to use.’
      • ‘This tip was written in Visual LISP and includes a dialog box to select the symbols you want to use.’
      • ‘The next time you want to visit the site, just click on the links menu and select the website.’
      • ‘Most features can be turned on or off by selecting the appropriate radio button.’
      • ‘When I try to click these files, a window appears and asks me to select the appropriate file extension.’
      • ‘Once the application starts, click on the Load Image menu item and select a TIFF file.’
      • ‘When you press down the wheel, the above menu will appear, and you can scroll to select the option you desire.’
      • ‘Then you select the region between the labels by double-clicking on the time bar.’
      • ‘After that, you have to select the rectangle and the text by double clicking on the pick tool.’
      • ‘Now users can just select the type tool and click to insert text directly on the canvas.’

adjective

  • 1(of a group of people or things) carefully chosen from a larger number as being the best or most valuable.

    ‘he joined his select team of young Intelligence operatives’
    • ‘Karate is no longer just a pastime for a select few, as young and old discover the discipline of martial arts.’
    • ‘Then again, it would benefit the union if every team, not just a select few, could bid for players.’
    • ‘Some of Australia's most successful young leaders apply for the fellowship, but only a select few are accepted.’
    • ‘Currently, it is a very select few who make the news, not in terms of being featured, but in terms of making the decision of what is news and what is not.’
    • ‘We're loyal to our favorite stars through thick and thin, but a select few never go through the thick period.’
    • ‘The select few who win the highest number of points get to take part in a lucky draw with prizes that include airline tickets and holidays.’
    • ‘Isn't it time to open the doors and come out into the world and see whether or not your work is speaking to a vast majority of people or just a select few?’
    • ‘I definitely have a select few people I spend a lot of time with but no boyfriend.’
    • ‘Only a select few, over the sweep of history, design what scholars term grand strategy.’
    • ‘It seems only a select few are ever told about it, and even then, they have to figure out for themselves how the system works.’
    • ‘Only a select few champions are safe from the prospect of being traded.’
    • ‘Only a select few have knowledge of the financial bids of both contenders.’
    • ‘Critics call it the palace constitution, saying it is being drafted by a select few.’
    • ‘Your clothes are beautiful, but only for a very select few.’
    • ‘Punching in the code known only to a very select few, the doors opened with small hiss.’
    • ‘The GEM mortgage is only available through a select group of independent mortgage brokers.’
    • ‘However, this progress has been made for only a select group of species.’
    • ‘There are numerous statistical tables, detailed references and a select bibliography.’
    • ‘A brief historiographical article concludes the work along with a select bibliography and list of contributors.’
    • ‘A select bibliography for each chapter is intended to provide resource material.’
    choice, hand-picked, carefully chosen, prime, first-rate, first-class, high-grade, grade A, superior, finest, best, high-quality, top-quality, top-class, A-list, supreme, superb, excellent, rare, prize, prize-winning, award-winning
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    1. 1.1(of a place or group of people) only used by or consisting of a wealthy or sophisticated elite; exclusive.
      ‘the opera was seen by a small and highly select audience’
      • ‘However, she warned that removing money from a select group of wealthy schools was unlikely to solve the problem.’
      • ‘There are more select areas of Swindon where they pay nothing at all.’
      • ‘Aside from its internet offering, the company plans to become a big player in a select area of London.’
      • ‘Does democracy have to be an elite club in which only a few select people can participate?’
      • ‘Cousin Caroline lived in a posh townhouse in a very quiet and select neighborhood.’
      exclusive, elite, favoured, limited, rarefied, privileged, cliquish, private
      View synonyms

Origin

Mid 16th century from Latin select- ‘chosen’, from the verb seligere, from se- ‘apart’ + legere ‘choose’.