chase Definition

chase¹
verb chased, chasing

1. To follow or go after them in an attempt to catch them.

Thesaurus: pursue, hunt, give chase, follow, track.
Form: chase after someone (often)
2. To drive or force them away, off, etc.

Thesaurus: expel, repulse, repel, evict, scatter, dispel.
Form: chase someone away (often)
Form: chase someone off
intr
3. To rush; to hurry.
4. colloq
To try to obtain or achieve something, especially with difficulty.
Example: too many applicants chasing too few jobs
5. colloq
To pursue a particular matter urgently with someone.
Example: chase the post office about the missing parcel
6. colloq
To pursue (a desired sexual partner) in an obvious way.

noun

1. A pursuit.

Thesaurus: hunt, pursuit, race.
2. The hunting of animals, eg foxes.

Form: the chase
(Brit)
3. A large area of open land, originally where wild animals were kept for hunting.

Idiom: give chase

To rush off in pursuit.

Idiom: chase the dragon

drug-taking slang
To inhale heroin.

Etymology: 13c: from French chasser, from Latin captare to try to catch.

Phrasal Verb: chase someone up

To speak to them in order to get something done.

Phrasal Verb: chase something up

To inquire about a matter or seek out information.

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chase²
verb

chased, chasing
1. To decorate (metal) with engraved or embossed work.

Derivative: chasing
noun

Etymology: 14c: short for enchase.

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chase³
noun

1. printing.
A metal frame that holds assembled type, or the forme, in position for printing.

Etymology: 17c: from French chas, from a variant of Latin capsa case.