option
option — noun
1. a possible choice, plan, or action; also, the chance to decide among different w
a possible choice, plan, or action; also, the chance to decide among different ways forward
Camping is one option for the school trip in July.
one option for + event
You have the option of paying online or at the station.
option of + -ing
The menu offers a cheap vegetarian option for hungry students.
After the storm, walking home was our safest option.
The contract gives Lena the option to leave early.
- choice
broader and can mean the act of deciding as well as the thing chosen
- alternative
often stresses another plan when the first one may not work
- possibility
more general and does not always involve an active decision
- necessity
focuses on something required rather than something open to choose
文法句型
one option is to + verb
have the option of + -ing
give someone the option to + verb
用法筆記
Often followed by of + -ing or to + verb. Distinguish from noun/3, which usually appears in negative patterns such as have no option but to.
常見錯誤
2. a contract-based right allowing a later purchase or sale for a price fixed now
a contract-based right allowing a later purchase or sale for a price fixed now
The company bought an option to buy the land next year.
option to buy + asset
On Friday afternoon, traders sold call options on bank shares.
finance: call options
The deal gave her an option on 500 more company shares.
The buyer paid for the option on the shop but never used it.
A farm owner gave the bank an option to buy the field.
- obligation
requires action instead of keeping the action optional
文法句型
an option to buy
an option to sell
an option on + asset
用法筆記
Common in finance, property, and contract language. It often appears with to buy, to sell, or on + asset, and it names a right, not the final purchase itself.
常見錯誤
3. the only course left to you, used when every other choice has gone
the only course left to you, used when every other choice has gone
With the bridge closed, we had no option but to wait.
fixed pattern: no option but to + verb
The fire left us no option but to sleep outside.
leave someone no option
After two warnings, the judge had no option but to fine him.
Broken brakes gave Carla no option but to call a tow truck.
- no choice
the most common everyday equivalent
- necessity
more formal and focuses on what must be done
- last resort
suggests the final remaining plan after others fail
- freedom
emphasizes being able to choose among different actions
文法句型
have no option but to + verb
leave someone with no option
no option except to + verb
用法筆記
Almost always appears in negative frames such as have no option but to or leave someone with no option. Distinguish from noun/1, where real choices are still available.
常見錯誤
option — adjective
1. describing an American football play where the ball carrier decides during the m
describing an American football play where the ball carrier decides during the move whether to run or pass
On the option play, the quarterback kept the ball and ran left.
collocation: option play
Coach Rivera added an option offense for his fast young quarterback.
collocation: option offense
The defense froze when the option play let the quarterback choose to run or pass.
Fans cheered when the team scored on an option run at midfield.
- run-pass
a descriptive coaching term for the same basic idea
- read-option
a more specific football subtype, not the whole category
文法句型
option play
option offense
option run
用法筆記
Usually comes before nouns such as play, offense, run, or attack. It belongs to American football language rather than general everyday English.
常見錯誤
option — verb
1. to arrange the right to buy, use, or develop something later, or to give someone
to arrange the right to buy, use, or develop something later, or to give someone that right
The studio optioned Maya's novel for a television series.
media use: option a novel
A builder optioned the empty lot beside the station for new shops.
property use: option land
The riverside land was optioned before the city announced a new road.
The author refused to option the story for a cheap film.
- release
gives up the right instead of holding it for later
文法句型
option a property
option a story
be optioned for a film
用法筆記
Common with land, shares, stories, and film rights. The verb takes a direct object; in media writing, passive forms such as 'the novel was optioned' are very common.