pursuit

[ per-soot ]

/ pərˈsut /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR pursuit ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the act of pursuing: in pursuit of the fox.

an effort to secure or attain; quest: the pursuit of happiness.

any occupation, pastime, or the like, in which a person is engaged regularly or customarily: literary pursuits.

Nearby words

purslane family, pursuance, pursuant, pursue, pursuer, pursuit, pursuit plane, pursuivant, pursy, purtenance, purty

Origin of pursuit

1300–50; Middle English < Anglo-French purseute ≪ Vulgar Latin *prōsequita for Latin prōsecūta, feminine of prōsecūtus, past participle of prōsequī to pursue; cf. suit

SYNONYMS FOR pursuit

1 chase, hunt.

2 search.

3 activity, preoccupation, inclination.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR pursuit ON THESAURUS.COM

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for pursuit

Yet, in pursuit of that ‘great revival of art,’ his anxiety, depression, and overall health began to deteriorate.
Decoding Vincent Van Gogh’s Tempestuous, Fragile Mind|Nick Mafi|December 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They say The Guardian has been dragging its feet on the pursuit of NSA-related stories while keeping the Times on a short leash.
Is The Guardian Holding Back The New York Times’ Snowden Stories?|Lloyd Grove|October 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Making sense of her life on the page, deploying raw emotion alongside humor and wry mischief, has long been a Bechdel pursuit.
Alison Bechdel: Genius to Watch Out For|Tim Teeman|September 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Better than anyone though, Murdoch saw and exploited the emotional needs satisfied by the pursuit of celebrity.
Murdoch on the Rocks: How a Lone Reporter Revealed the Mogul's Tabloid Terror Machine|Clive Irving|August 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST

I shirked duty in pursuit of a good sleep, incurring her wrath this morning.
Is Sleeping Apart Good for Your Relationship?|Tim Teeman|August 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In this pursuit he took the lead at the head of a detachment of cavalry.
The Student's Life of Washington; Condensed from the Larger Work of Washington Irving|Washington Irving
She snatched it up and ran in pursuit of the intrepid pair advancing toward the animated scene under the maple-tree.
Peggy Raymond's Vacation|Harriet L. (Harriet Lummis) Smith
After I crossed the Horsepen, which almost swam our horses, I started off at a gallop, thinking the pursuit was over.
Mosby's War Reminiscences|John Singleton Mosby
At the frontiers you will inevitably be stopped and identified; but under my roof you will be safe from all pursuit and suspicion.
Tales from "Blackwood," Volume 3|Various
The pursuit took him over the greensward to the bench built around the great catalpa.
Lewis Rand|Mary Johnston

British Dictionary definitions for pursuit

pursuit

/ (pəˈsjuːt) /

noun

the act of pursuing, chasing, or striving after
(as modifier)a pursuit plane

an occupation, hobby, or pastime

(in cycling) a race in which the riders set off at intervals along the track and attempt to overtake each other

Word Origin for pursuit

C14: from Old French poursieute, from poursivre to prosecute, pursue

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

pursuit

noun

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Origin of pursuit

Examples from the Web for pursuit

British Dictionary definitions for pursuit

pursuit

noun

Word Origin for pursuit