decide
decide against (someone or something)
1. To choose not to accept someone. Yes, Holly was a strong candidate, but we ultimately decided against her for the job.
2. To choose not to do something. I was so tired that I decided against going out with my friends tonight.
See also: decide
decide among (someone or something)
To choose someone or something from three or more options. We've had so many good candidates for the job that I'm having a very hard time deciding among them.
See also: among, decide
decide between (someone or something)
To choose someone or something when given two options. Holly and Jack are both such good candidates for the job that I'm having a hard time deciding between them.
See also: between, decide
decide for (someone or something)
To rule favorably for someone or something. My client will almost certainly go to jail if the judge doesn't decide for him.
See also: decide
decide in favor of (someone or something)
To rule favorably for someone or something. My client will almost certainly go to jail if the judge doesn't decide in favor of him.
See also: decide, favor, of
decide on (someone or something)
To choose someone or something, usually after a period of deliberation. Yes, Holly was a strong candidate, but we ultimately decided on someone else for the job opening. After agonizing over the menu, I finally decided on mint chocolate chip ice cream.
See also: decide, on
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
decide against someone or something
to rule against someone or something; to make a judgment against someone or something. We decided against Tom and chose Larry instead. Jane decided against the supplier.
See also: decide
decide among (someone and someone else)
and decide among (something and something else)to choose from three or more people; to choose from three or more things. I couldn't decide among all the choices on the menu. I will decide among Fred, Tom, and Alice.
See also: among, decide
decide between (someone and someone else)
and decide between (something and something else)to choose one from two people; to choose one from two things. I could not decide between Tom and Wally. We could not decide between those two.
See also: between, decide
decide for someone or something
to rule in favor of someone or something; to make a judgment for someone or something. The jury decided for the plaintiff. The judge decided for me.
See also: decide
decide in favor of someone or something
to determine that someone or something is the winner. The judge decided in favor of the defendant. I decided in favor of the red one.
See also: decide, favor, of
decide (up)on someone or something
to choose someone or something; to make a judgment about some aspect of someone or something. (Upon is formal and less commonly used than on.) Will you please hurry up and decide upon someone to vote for? I decided on chocolate.
See also: decide, on
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
decide on
or decide uponv.
To choose something or someone after deliberation: We decided on green as the color for the nursery. I've decided upon the red shoes; you can put the black ones back.
See also: decide, on
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
- decide against
- decide against (someone or something)
- decided
- prefer
- prefer (someone or something) to (someone or something else)
- prefer to
- choose from
- choose from (people or things)
- choose
- choose among (people or things)