a. and sb. [ad. med.L. alternātīv-us, f. L. alternāt- ppl. stem of alternāre: see ALTERNATE a. and -IVE.]
1. Stating or offering the one or the other of two things of which either may be taken.
1590. Swinburn, Testaments, 252 b. The alternatiue or disiunctiue speech of the testator … I make A. or B. my executors.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v., An alternative, or disjunctive proposition is true, if one side or part of it be true.
2. Of two things: Such that one or the other may be chosen, the choice of either involving the rejection of the other. (Sometimes of more than two.)
1861. A. B. Hope, Eng. Cathedr. 19th C., vi. 205. All that I feel bound to do is to recapitulate the alternative possibilities.
1876. Freeman, Norm. Conq., I. App. 746. I accept the statements as alternative statements.
3. ellipt. The other (of two), which may be chosen instead.
1838. De Quincey, Mod. Greece, Wks. XIV. 290. The alternative supposition presumed him … the merchant.
1877. Kinglake, Crimea, IV. iv. 50. Who had ready an alternative plan.
4. Having an alternative bearing, purport or use.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., Alternative promise is where two or more are engaged to do a thing … though if either of them discharge it, both are acquitted.
1818. Colebrooke, Obligations, I. 107. To constitute an alternative obligation, two or more acts or things must be promised disjunctively.
1863. Bain, Eng. Gram., 65. The alternative conjunctions are either—or, whether—or, neither—nor.
† 5. Characterized by alternation; alternate. Obs.
1601. Holland, Pliny (1634), I. 3. He ordereth the seasons in their alternatiue course.
1682. Lond. Gaz., mdclxxxviii/3. Churches where the Collation is alternative between the Bishops and the Chapters.
1716. Prideaux, Connect. O. & N. T., I. V. (R.). A direction both to the reader and to the interpreter where to make their stop at every alternative reading and interpreting.
1880. Gray, Bot. Text-bk., 395. Alternative, In æstivation, with an inner whorl alternating with an outer one.
B. sb. [the adj. used absol.] That which is alternative; an alternative statement, course, etc.
1. strictly, A proposition containing two statements, the acceptance of one of which involves the rejection of the other; a statement or offer of two things of which either may be agreed to, but not both; permission to choose between two things.
(This is the only use of the word in Johnson, the following three being unknown to dictionaries till very recently.)
1624. Bedell, Lett., iii. 71. A long compasse of a sentence … with I know not how many ampliations and alternatiues.
1719. Young, Revenge, II. i. Wks. 1757, I. 128. My lord, you know the sad alternative, Is Leonora worth one pang, or not?
1794. Godwin, C. Williams, 123. I could not endure to think … of that side of the alternative as true.
1817. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, II. IV. iii. 107. In the opinion of Clive there was but one alternative: that of embracing the neutrality, or instantly attacking Chandernagore.
1853. H. Rogers, Ecl. Faith, 422. The brief, simple alternative of Mahomet, death or the Koran.
2. loosely, Either of the two ‘sides’ or members of the alternative proposition, called in this use ‘the two alternatives’; either of two courses which lie open to choose between. In this use we find ‘no other alternative.’
1814. Miss Austen, Lady Susan, xxxviii. (1879), 282. It is impossible to submit to such an extremity while another alternative remains.
1858. Buchanan, Message to Congr., 6 Dec. I could make no better arrangement, and there was no other alternative.
1864. J. H. Newman, Apol. Life, 329. There are but two alternatives, the way to Rome, and the way to Atheism.
3. esp. The other or remaining course; thing which may be chosen instead. In this use we find ‘no alternative’ (which may also = no choice; see 1).
[1760. Sterne, T. Shandy (1802), IX. ii. 211. There was no alternative in my uncle Toby’s wardrobe.]
1836. J. Gilbert, Chr. Atonem., i. (1852), 19. Yet law was never so repealed but that it still remained as the alternative.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. § 2. 19. We had therefore no alternative but to pack up.
1867. Buckle, Civiliz., III. iii. 146. A fate compared to which death would have been a joyful alternative.
4. Extended to, A choice between more than two things; or one of several courses which may be chosen.
1848. Mill, Pol. Econ. (1865), I. 404. The alternative seemed to be either death, or to be permanently supported by other people, or a radical change in the economical arrangements.
1857. Gladstone, Oxf. Ess., 26. My decided preference is for the fourth and last of these alternatives.
† 5. Alternate course; alteration. Obs.
1732. Berkeley, Min. Philos., I. 69. The actual enjoyment is very short, and the alternative of Appetite and Disgust long.
1782. Wedgwood, in Phil. Trans., LXXII. 317. They bear sudden alternatives of heat and cold.
