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Reader question: The Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English explains “a few choice words” this way: “If you use a few choice words, you say exactly what you want to say in an angry way.” Why? My comments: Because choice words, well, like choice wines and choice chocolates, are obviously not something to come by every day, i.e. normally and easily. “Choice” indicates an act of choosing or making a choice. In the examples of “choice wines” and “choice chocolates”, “choice” literally means that they are specially chosen or picked – from a large group of wines and chocolates. They are specially picked because, in other words, they’re especially good and worthy, much better than what’s normal, commonplace and average. Choice words are likewise specially chosen words to convey special meanings – except they’re NOT picked because they’re especially good and worthy, i.e. good sounding or favorable to hear. Quite the contrary. As a matter of fact, choice words are often times euphemisms for four-letter words or swear words or curse words and other obscene words that are sometimes not even fit for print or repetition. And often times, not always but often times, as the Longman dictionary explains, choice words are used when people are angry, very angry – at someone or about something. Normally, you see, when people want to say something, they say it – using the first words that come to mind. | 
