[a. F. chose:—L. causa matter, affair, thing.]
1. Law. A thing, chattel, piece of property (in chose in action, etc.: see quot. 1670, 1875).
1670. Blount, Law Dict., Chose in action, is a thing incorporeal and onely a right, as an annuity, obligation for Debt,—and generally all Causes of Suit for any Debt or Duty, Trespass or Wrong, are to be accounted Choses in action.
1767. Blackstone, Comm., II. 397. Thus money due on a bond is a chose in action.
1853. Wharton, Pennsylv. Digest, 168. Choses in action of the wife cannot be attached for the husband’s debt.
1875. Poste, Gaius, IV. (ed. 2), 611. Choses in possession (movables) and choses in action (obligations) may be sold after the institution of a suit.
† 2. An excuse. Obs.
15[?]. Plumpton Corr., 198. I have sent to Wright of Idell for the money … and he saith he hath it not to len, and makes choses, and so I can get none nowhere.
† 3. Thing (as a general term for a thing not more particularly named). Obs.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Wife’s Prol., 447. For if I wolde selle my bele chose, I couthe walk as freisch as eny rose.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XVI. xxxix. (Tollem. MS.). And sumwhat passeþ of þe priue chose [1535 privy chose] of woman.
