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pursue
[ per-soo ]
/ pərˈsu /
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verb (used with object), pur·sued, pur·su·ing.
verb (used without object), pur·sued, pur·su·ing.
to chase after someone or something; to follow in pursuit: They spotted the suspect but decided not to pursue.
to continue.
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Origin of pursue
historical usage of pursue
The current spelling of the English verb pursue dates from about 1300. It is one of several former spellings, including perseve, pursiew, pursuwe. The Middle English variants come from Anglo-French and Old French porsure, poursuire, porsivre (with many other spelling variants), ultimately from Latin prōsequi “to attend (with honors or compliments), go in pursuit of, follow with hostile intent, harry, examine or follow up (a subject or topic), continue,” which is the source of English prosecute
The many Latin meanings of prōsequi carry over into Old French and Middle English, and by the end of the Middle English period, the word pursue already had all of its current meanings. On the other hand, the word prosecute originally meant “to follow up, pursue, continue,” but shortly afterward, in the early 16th century, it took on its primary current meaning “to institute legal proceedings.”
The many Latin meanings of prōsequi carry over into Old French and Middle English, and by the end of the Middle English period, the word pursue already had all of its current meanings. On the other hand, the word prosecute originally meant “to follow up, pursue, continue,” but shortly afterward, in the early 16th century, it took on its primary current meaning “to institute legal proceedings.”
OTHER WORDS FROM pursue
pur·su·a·ble, adjectiveout·pur·sue, verb (used with object), out·pur·sued, out·pur·su·ing.re·pur·sue, verb (used with object), re·pur·sued, re·pur·su·ing.un·pur·su·a·ble, adjectiveWORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH pursue
peruse, pursueWords nearby pursue
purse-string suture, purslane, purslane family, pursuance, pursuant, pursue, pursued, pursuer, pursuing, pursuit, pursuit plane
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use pursue in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for pursue
pursue
/ (pəˈsjuː) /
verb -sues, -suing or -sued (mainly tr)
Derived forms of pursue
pursuer, nounWord Origin for pursue
C13: from Anglo-Norman pursiwer, from Old French poursivre, from Latin prōsequī to follow after
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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