From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishselectse‧lect1 /səˈlekt/ ●●● S2 W2 AWL verb [transitive] CHOOSEto choose something or someone by thinking carefully about which is the best, most suitable etc SYN choose, pick a group of students selected at randomselect somebody for something He had hopes of being selected for the national team.select somebody/something as something York was selected as the site for the research centre.select somebody/something from something They selected the winner from six finalists.select somebody to do something Simon’s been selected to go to the conference.► see thesaurus at chooseRegisterIn everyday English, people usually say choose rather than select:They chose the winner from six finalists.→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
select• This feature should clearly be borne in mind whilst selecting a shortlist.• Most begin with a simple picture that will help you select and set up the demonstration.• The ad was airing in only selected areas, although the campaign would not say where.• Beginning salaries were slightly higher in selected areas where the prevailing local pay level was higher.• We selected four applicants for interview.• I selected four postcards.• The team's name was selected from more than 1,700 suggestions.• Our wines have been carefully selected from vineyards throughout Europe.• Candidates for the union are supposed to be selected in 1998, based on 1997 performance.• The college selects only twelve students a year from the thousands who apply.• To create parallel columns, press Alt-F7 and select option 4.• The fund manager can, therefore, select the mix of bonds which offers the most attractive yield and capital growth potential.• It's very important that parents select the right school for a child with learning difficulties.• Ernst had been selected to play in the game against Belgium.• Avoid the temptation to select too much.select somebody to do something• Chu has been selected to attend the National Young Leaders Conference.selectselect2 ●○○ AWL adjective formal 1 CHOOSEa select group of people or things is a small special group that has been chosen carefully The party was small and select. Honorary degrees are handed out to a select few.2 EXPENSIVEonly lived in, visited, or used by a small number of rich people SYN exclusive a select block of flatsExamples from the Corpus
select• Yet they fought allowing women to compete for opportunity in the select academies from which the leadership is so heavily drawn.• Still, the Carolingian Renaissance in the mid-ninth century touched far more than just a select clerical few.• select golfing vacations• She tests it only on a select number of patients and makes sure that she is the only one who applies it.• DiTucci tested the formula on a select number of patients.• At the time Cook was concentrating on smaller, more select parties which left a gap in the market for larger tours.• It opens in select theaters nationwide today.select few• A month later he discreetly announced it to a select few.• I see about 100 tie ranges to buy from a select few.• Indicators should go through as many aspects of school life as possible, not a select few.• The managers began to mention among their responsibilities motivating their subordinates, and a selected few brought up leadership.• A select few of our company flew administration flights to neighboring units in Pleiku, 5-miles west.• He loved possessions, not masses of them, but a select few that he did not part with.From Longman Business Dictionaryselectse‧lect1 /səˈlekt/ verb [transitive]1to choose something from a group of things, after thinking carefully about which is the best, most useful, most profitable etcThe board hasn’t yet set a timetable for selecting a chief executive.Investors shouldn’t select a stock fund just because it has low annual costs.2COMPUTING if you select words or pictures on a computer screen, you use the MOUSE to make them change colour, before moving, cutting, or saving themTo copy a sentence, first select it and then press Control+C. —selected adjective [only before a noun]Instead of selling only selected assets, Orlando is trying to sell the entire concern.→ See Verb tableselectselect2 adjective used, visited, or bought only by a small group of peopleSYNEXCLUSIVEHaute couture designers create superexpensive clothes that are sold to a select few customers worldwide.This flat is situated on a small select development.Origin select2 (1500-1600) Latin past participle of seligere “to select”, from legere “to gather, choose” 