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• chase
  chase

  verb (used with object)

  to pursue in order to seize, overtake, etc..
• Chase
  Chase

  noun

  Mary Ellen, 1887–1973, U.S. educator, novelist, and essayist.

chase

¹ American  

[cheys] / tʃeɪs /

verb (used with object)

chased, chasing

1. to pursue in order to seize, overtake, etc..

   The police officer chased the thief.

2. to pursue with intent to capture or kill, as game; hunt.

   to chase deer.

3. to follow or devote one's attention to with the hope of attracting, winning, gaining, etc..

   He chased her for three years before she consented to marry him.

4. to drive or expel by force, threat, or harassment.

   She chased the cat out of the room.

   Synonyms:

   scatter, rout, oust

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verb (used without object)

chased, chasing

1. to follow in pursuit.

   to chase after someone.

2. to rush or hasten.

   We spent the weekend chasing around from one store to another.

noun

1. the act of chasing; pursuit.

   The chase lasted a day.

   Synonyms:

   quest, hunt

2. an object of pursuit; something chased.

3. Chiefly British. a private game preserve; a tract of privately owned land reserved for, and sometimes stocked with, animals and birds to be hunted.

4. British. the right of keeping game or of hunting on the land of others.

5. a steeplechase.

6. the chase, the sport or occupation of hunting.

   the excitement of the chase.

verb phrase

1. give chase to pursue.

   The hunt began and the dogs gave chase.

idioms

1. cut to the chase, to get to the main point.

chase ² American  

[cheys] / tʃeɪs /

noun

1. a rectangular iron frame in which composed type is secured or locked for printing or platemaking.

2. Building Trades. a space or groove in a masonry wall or through a floor for pipes or ducts.

3. a groove, furrow, or trench; a lengthened hollow.

4. Ordnance.

   1. the part of a gun in front of the trunnions.

   2. the part containing the bore.

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chase ³ American  

[cheys] / tʃeɪs /

verb (used with object)

chased, chasing

1. to ornament (metal) by engraving or embossing.

2. to cut (a screw thread), as with a chaser or machine tool.

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Chase ⁴ American  

[cheys] / tʃeɪs /

noun

1. Mary Ellen, 1887–1973, U.S. educator, novelist, and essayist.

2. Salmon Portland 1808–73, U.S. jurist and statesman: secretary of the treasury 1861–64; chief justice of the U.S. 1864–73.

3. Samuel, 1741–1811, U.S. jurist and leader in the American Revolution: associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court 1796–1811.

4. Stuart, 1888–1985, U.S. economist and writer.

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chase ¹ British  

/ tʃeɪs /

verb

1. to follow or run after (a person, animal, or goal) persistently or quickly

2. (tr; often foll by out, away, or off) to force to run (away); drive (out)

3. informal (tr) to court (a member of the opposite sex) in an unsubtle manner

4. informal to pursue persistently and energetically in order to obtain results, information, etc

   chase up the builders and get a delivery date

5. informal (intr) to hurry; rush

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noun

1. the act of chasing; pursuit

2. any quarry that is pursued

3. an unenclosed area of land where wild animals are preserved to be hunted

4. the right to hunt a particular quarry over the land of others

5. the act or sport of hunting

6. short for steeplechase

7. real tennis a ball that bounces twice, requiring the point to be played again

8. informal to start talking about the important aspects of something

9. to pursue (a person, animal, or thing) actively

chase ² British  

/ tʃeɪs /

noun

1. printing a rectangular steel or cast-iron frame into which metal type and blocks making up pages are locked for printing or plate-making

2. the part of a gun barrel from the front of the trunnions to the muzzle

3. a groove or channel, esp one that is cut in a wall to take a pipe, cable, etc

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verb

1. Also: chamfer.  to cut a groove, furrow, or flute in (a surface, column, etc)

chase ³ British  

/ tʃeɪs /

verb

1. Also: enchase.  to ornament (metal) by engraving or embossing

2. to form or finish (a screw thread) with a chaser

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chase More Idioms  

1. see ambulance chaser; cut to the chase; give chase; go fly a kite (chase yourself); lead a merry chase; run (chase) after; wild goose chase.

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Other Word Forms

• chaseable
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of chase¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English chacen, chacien, from Middle French chasser “to hunt,” Old French chacier, from unattested Vulgar Latin captiāre; see catch

Origin of chase²

First recorded in 1570–80; from Middle French chas, chasse, from Late Latin capsus (masculine), capsum (neuter) “fully or partly enclosed space,” variant of capsa case ²

Origin of chase³

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English chased (past participle); shortened variant of enchase

Explanation

To chase is to follow or go after someone or something you want. This activity is called a chase. Dogs chase cats, cats chase mice, and mice are in big trouble. The word chase tried to run away from the Old French word chacier for "to hunt or strive for,” but we caught it. Any time you’re trying to get something that’s trying to get away from you, you chase it. Police officers chase criminals, and kids playing tag chase each other all over the yard. You can also chase things that aren't physical, like a dream or a goal. This activity itself is called a chase.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

chase Chase chased chasing

As soon as the Braves were eliminated from the 2014 postseason chase, the team fired general manager Frank Wren.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026

Rory McIlroy shot a five-under 65 to move to joint-second after three rounds of the BMW Championship, but said it will take a "heroic effort" to chase down leader Wyndham Clark.

From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026

The companies chase different types of consumers: Toyota appeals more to eco-conscious car buyers and those who prioritize reliability and efficiency.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

Traditionally known for his strike-zone control, Tucker’s chase rate has been up this season.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

“He’s liable to chase you up a tree.”

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

Department of Transportation attaching itself to a series paid for by companies it regulates, including United Airlines, Chase Travel, Toyota, Boeing and Royal Caribbean.

From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2026

Social Security Administration Commissioner Frank Bisignano’s former colleague Matt Zames, previously an executive at JPMorgan Chase, will take on an unpaid adviser position at the agency, according to recent news reports.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026

That plot twist gives Chase the opportunity to send Gemma into the Further, dreaming up all sorts of frighteningly surreal environments.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

"I wanted a villain that was different," said director Chase, who was looking to create a charismatic demon.

From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026

Chase took a step toward the boy, but Nicole grabbed his arm and pulled him down a breezeway where no one could hear them.

From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith

On a particularly tense drive, they are chased by scorching, wind-fueled wildfires and volcanic ash spewing from Mount Etna.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

"The other one chased me down," he says.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

On Aug. 12 around 5:30 a.m., a man in a disturbing white face mask chased a 40-year-old woman in the downtown area of Philadelphia across from City Hall, according to the city’s Police Department.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026

Apple hasn’t chased peers into the AI race and it could still be coming out on top, according to Rothschild & Co Redburn.

From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026

Once my boot was scraped, I chased after her down the block.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan

“You don’t need to be all things to all people, and too often brands are chasing trends or limited-time offerings that distract their crew from focusing on what made them successful to begin with.”

From Slate ● Aug. 24, 2026

Pamela Paul got hooked on total solar eclipses in 2017 and has been chasing them ever since.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026

Plouffe, 27, who rides for British continental team O'Shea Red Chilli Bikes, said the incident happened on a roundabout as she was chasing back to the peloton, following a puncture on Wednesday.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

By focusing on its hardware products instead of chasing emerging AI technologies, Apple has grown its installed base to over 2.5 billion active devices.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026

Women were hanging laundry out to dry while children danced around, chasing pixies.

From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff

Related Words

• drive
• drive away
• expel
• follow
• go after
• hound
• hunt
• run down
• rush
• tear
• track
• trail