pursue

pur·sue

verb \pər-ˈsü, -ˈsyü\

pur·suedpur·su·ing

Definition of PURSUE

transitive verb

1

: to follow in order to overtake, capture, kill, or defeat

2

: to find or employ measures to obtain or accomplish : seek <pursue a goal>

3

: to proceed along <pursues a northern course>

4

a : to engage in <pursue a hobby> b : to follow up or proceed with <pursue an argument>

5

: to continue to afflict : haunt <was pursued by horrible memories>

6

: ²chase 1c <pursued by dozens of fans>

intransitive verb

: to go in pursuit

— pur·su·er noun

Examples of PURSUE

1. Hounds pursued the fox for miles.
2. The criminal is being pursued by police.
3. He chose to pursue a college degree.
4. She wants to pursue a legal career.
5. It is this peace among the Great Powers—at least for the near term—that makes it truly possible both to pursue my vision of the post-Cold War world and, at the same time, to hedge against failure by maintaining the capacity to protect ourselves and our interests … —Robert S. McNamara, In Retrospect, 1995
6. The monster truck pursued him at insane speeds, through phone booths and gas pumps and even over cliffs, but he never knew why. —Hunter S. Thompson, Rolling Stone, 14-28 July 1994
7. In a world of nation-states the assumption that governments will pursue their own interests gives order and predictability to international affairs. —Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., American Heritage, 3 May/June 1994

Origin of PURSUE

Middle English, from Anglo-French pursure, pursiure, from Latin prosequi, from pro- forward + sequi to follow — more at pro-, sue

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to PURSUE

Synonyms: bird-dog, chase, course, dog, hound, follow, run, shadow, tag, tail, trace, track, trail

Antonyms: guide, lead, pilot

Related Words: accompany, chaperone (or chaperon), escort; hunt, search (for), seek; eye, observe, watch

Near Antonyms: head

see all synonyms and antonyms

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See Synonym Discussion at chase

Rhymes with PURSUE

accrue, achoo, adieu, ado, Agnew, aircrew, airscrew, anew, askew, babu, Baku, bamboo, battu, battue, bayou, bedew, beshrew, bestrew, bijou, boo-boo, boubou, brand-new, breakthrough, burgoo, cachou, can-do, canoe, caoutchouc, Carew, Cebu, Chonju, construe, Corfu, corkscrew, coypu, CQ, cuckoo, curfew, debut, Depew, doo-doo, ecu, endue, ensue, eschew, floor-through, fondue, fordo, Gansu, Gentoo, Gifu, goo-goo, GQ, ground crew, gumshoe, guru, hairdo, hereto, Hindu, home brew, Honshu, horseshoe, how-to, HQ, Hutu, igloo, imbrue, imbue, IQ, jackscrew, K2, Kansu, karoo, Karoo, kazoo, Khufu, kung fu, Kwangju, leadscrew, lean-to, long view, make-do, Matthew, me-too, mildew, milieu, miscue, misdo, muumuu, non-U, old-shoe, one-two, on view, outdo, perdu, Peru, poilu, prau, preview, purview, ragout, redo, renew, Renfrew, review, revue, rough-hew, run-through, sandshoe, Sardou, see-through, set-to, setscrew, shampoo, sinew, skiddoo, snafu, snowshoe, soft-shoe, span-new, subdue, surtout, taboo, Taegu, tattoo, thank-you, thereto, thumbscrew, to-do, too-too, tree shrew, undo, undue, unglue, unscrew, untrue, vatu, vendue, venue, virtu, voodoo, wahoo, walk-through, wherethrough, whereto, who's who, worldview, yahoo, yoo-hoo