pursue

A2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /pɚˈsu/ UK /pəˈsjuː/ See IPA manual

Freq #5844

Meanings

1

verb
To work hard to achieve or get something you want.

She decided to pursue a career in medicine.
2

verb
To chase or follow someone in order to catch them.

The police pursued the suspect through the streets.
3

verb
To take part in an activity or hobby.

He pursues photography in his free time.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 verb · to chase or follow someone... follow chase

3 verb · to take part in an activity... engage

Word family

Forms pursuedpursuespursuingunpursued

Derived forms mispursueoverpursuepursuablepursuancepursueepursuerpursuinglyrepursueunpursuedunpursuing

Related forms chase follow pursual pursuant pursuit

Etymology

From Middle English pursuen, from Anglo-Norman pursure, poursuire etc., from Latin prōsequor (though influenced by persequor). Doublet of prosecute.

*per- Proto-Indo-European pursuen Middle English pursure xno prōsequor Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# pursue

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /pɚˈsu/
**IPA (UK):** /pəˈsjuː/
**Frequency rank:** 5844

## Meanings
1. To work hard to achieve or get something you want.
2. To chase or follow someone in order to catch them.
3. To take part in an activity or hobby.

## Examples
- She decided to pursue a career in medicine.
- The police pursued the suspect through the streets.
- He pursues photography in his free time.

## Derived Forms
- mispursue
- overpursue
- pursuable
- pursuance
- pursuee
- pursuer
- pursuingly
- repursue
- unpursued
- unpursuing

## Related Forms
- chase
- follow
- pursual
- pursuant
- pursuit

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *per-
- Root: pursuen
- Root: pursure
- Root: prōsequor

## Etymology
From Middle English pursuen, from Anglo-Norman pursure, poursuire etc., from Latin prōsequor (though influenced by persequor). Doublet of prosecute.

## AI Etymology
Pursue comes from Middle English pursuen, from Anglo-Norman pursure, poursuire etc., from Latin prōsequor (though influenced by persequor). Doublet of prosecute. The historical chain includes *per- (Proto-Indo-European), pursuen (Middle English), pursure (xno), prōsequor (Latin). In present-day English it covers to work hard to achieve or get something you want, to chase or follow someone in order to catch them, and to take part in an activity or hobby. The wider family includes derived forms such as mispursue, overpursue, pursuable, pursuance, pursuee and related forms such as chase, follow, pursual, pursuant.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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