sailor's-choice

15th century, in the meaning defined at ' class='sense empty-sn'> : a person or thing that is qualified or permitted to do or be something : one that is eligible for something //As with the College of Cardinals and the papacy, where every cardinal, in theory, is eligible to be Pope but the number of real eligibles is substantially smaller, so with the American Presidency. — Stephen R. Graubard //… when she entered life, beautiful, accomplished, and an heiress, she had, of course, all the eligibles … of the other sex sighing at her feet … — Harriet Beecher Stowe

15th century, in the meaning defined at