Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - option

(options) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. 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? = alternative N-COUNT 2. If you have the option of doing 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. = choice N-SING: oft N of n/-ing, N to-inf 3. 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. (BUSINESS) Each bank has granted the other an option on 19.9% of its shares. N-COUNT 4. 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. N-COUNT 5. 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. PHRASE: V inflects 6. 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) The job of chairman can no longer be regarded as a convenient soft option. PHRASE: N inflects