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steeplechasing

[stee-puh l-chey-sing]
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noun
  1. the sport of riding or running in a steeplechase.
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Origin of steeplechasing

steeplechase + -ing1

steeplechase

[stee-puh l-cheys]
noun
  1. a horse race over a turf course furnished with artificial ditches, hedges, and other obstacles over which the horses must jump.
  2. a point-to-point race.
  3. a foot race run on a cross-country course or over a course having obstacles, as ditches, hurdles, or the like, which the runners must clear.
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verb (used without object), stee·ple·chased, stee·ple·chasing.
  1. to ride or run in a steeplechase.
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Origin of steeplechase

1795–1805; steeple + chase1; so called because the course was kept by sighting a church steeple
Related formsstee·ple·chas·er, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for steeplechasing

Historical Examples

  • I think they were steeplechasing, and he had Kester on his back.

    Lover or Friend

    Rosa Nouchette Carey

  • Purler, a heavy fall from a horse in the hunting or steeplechasing field.

    The Slang Dictionary

    John Camden Hotten

  • Steeplechasing and racing I must touch on, and the little I have to say will not be in its favour.

  • Although not keen on polo he was very fond of steeplechasing.

    Sir John French

    Cecil Chisholm

  • The unfortunate beast had learned to do everything—running, steeplechasing, jumping, army service.

    The Red Battle Flyer

    Capt. Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen

British Dictionary definitions for steeplechasing

steeplechase

noun
  1. a horse race over a course equipped with obstacles to be jumped, esp artificial hedges, ditches, water jumps, etc
  2. a track race, usually of 3000 metres, in which the runners have to leap hurdles, a water jump, etc
  3. archaic
    1. a horse race across a stretch of open countryside including obstacles to be jumped
    2. a rare word for point-to-point
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verb
  1. (intr) to take part in a steeplechase
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Derived Formssteeplechasing, noun

Word Origin

C19: so called because it originally took place cross-country, with a church tower serving as a landmark to guide the riders
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

Word Origin and History for steeplechasing

steeplechase

n.

1793 (earlier steeplehunt, 1772), from steeple + chase (n.). Originally a race with a visible church steeple as a goal.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper