Definitions Related words Phrases Mentions Lyrics History Colors (New!) Easter eggs (New!)

Literary notes about Option (AI summary)

The word "option" in literature carries a multifaceted character, functioning both as an illustration of life’s forced choices and as a technical term in more modern contexts. It is often employed to underscore a situation where one is compelled to decide under pressure—for instance, when rifles point at one's head [1] or when historical narratives invoke the option of surrender or battle [2], [3]. At the philosophical level, thinkers articulate a lived experience of choice and risk, as seen in discussions of forced versus genuine options [4], [5], [6]. In addition, the term finds concrete usage in legal, contractual, or computational settings, where it denotes a specific right, feature, or setting, such as in contracts [7], computer commands [8], [9], and even financial arrangements [10], [11]. This versatility lends "option" a rich semantic depth that bridges everyday decision-making with abstract deliberation in literary expression.
  1. “Will you surrender?” said he; and what option of an answer was left to us in any case, when each had a rifle presented to his head?
    — from My Adventures During the Late War A narrative of shipwreck, captivity, escapes from French prisons, and sea service in 1804-14 by Donat Henchy O'Brien
  2. The fair option of friendship, or submission, or battle, was proposed to the enemies of Mahomet.
    — from The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon
  3. 80 Mahomet proselytized by giving to the nations which he conquered, the option of the Koran or the sword.
    — from Bacon's Essays, and Wisdom of the Ancients by Francis Bacon
  4. Scepticism, then, is not avoidance of option; it is option of a certain particular kind of risk.
    — from The Will to Believe, and Other Essays in Popular Philosophy by William James
  5. Next, let us call the decision between two hypotheses an option .
    — from The Will to Believe, and Other Essays in Popular Philosophy by William James
  6. But if I say, "Either accept this truth or go without it," I put on you a forced option, for there is no standing place outside of the alternative.
    — from The Will to Believe, and Other Essays in Popular Philosophy by William James
  7. I had still the option of refusing or accepting a share in this foolish and audacious enterprise.
    — from A Journey to the Centre of the Earth by Jules Verne
  8. Then it has an option or switch , -k , followed by an argument , PostScript .
    — from Anne of Avonlea by L. M. Montgomery
  9. In this case you don't have to use the -M option, but if you do, you must use a path argument.
    — from Anne of Avonlea by L. M. Montgomery
  10. Five-year contract, renewal option, starting salary 15,000 cr./annum with periodic increases.
    — from The Lani People by Jesse F. Bone
  11. [Pg 600] need she deposit, little by little, in a savings bank, the husband has a right to draw it out, at his option, to use it as he may see fit.
    — from History of Woman Suffrage, Volume I

More usage examples

Also see: Google, News, Images, Wikipedia, Reddit, BlueSky


Home   Reverse Dictionary / Thesaurus   Datamuse   Word games   Spruce   Feedback   Dark mode   Random word   Help


Color thesaurus

Use OneLook to find colors for words and words for colors

See an example

Literary notes

Use OneLook to learn how words are used by great writers

See an example

Word games

Try our innovative vocabulary games

Play Now

Read the latest OneLook newsletter issue: Threepeat Redux