chowse

It was a mean trick of Yorke's to "chowse" them out of the credit, they protested.

The Cock-House at Fellsgarth Talbot Baines Reed 1872

An 'gien ye dinna chowse to lat on aboot it till an auld freen' cause she's naething but a fisherwife, it's dune ye mair skaith a'ready nor I thocht it wad to the lang last, Ma'colm -- for it 's yer ain name I s 'ca' ye yet, gien ye war ten times a laird!

Malcolm George MacDonald 1864

"Fact is," says Parson, insinuating himself under the cords, greatly to the indignation of some other small boys near, "it's a chowse letting

The Willoughby Captains Talbot Baines Reed 1872

"Ye see, mem, it's a pairt o 'the edication o' the human individual, frae the time o 'Adam and Eve doonwith, to learn to refuse the evil and chowse the guid.

Alec Forbes of Howglen George MacDonald 1864