chase1

[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.
verb (used without object), chased, chasing.
5.
to follow in pursuit:
to chase after someone.
6.
to rush or hasten:
We spent the weekend chasing around from one store to another.
noun
7.
the act of chasing; pursuit:
The chase lasted a day.
8.
an object of pursuit; something chased.
9.
Chiefly British. a private game preserve; a tract of privately owned land reserved for, and sometimes stocked with, animals and birds to be hunted.
10.
British. the right of keeping game or of hunting on the land of others.
11.
a steeplechase.
12.
the chase, the sport or occupation of hunting.
Verb phrases
13.
give chase, to pursue:
The hunt began and the dogs gave chase.
Idioms
14.
cut to the chase, Informal. to get to the main point.
Origin
1250-1300; Middle English chacen < Middle French chasser to hunt, Old French chacier < Vulgar Latin *captiāre; see catch
Related forms
chaseable, adjective
Can be confused
celibate, chased, chaste, chest.
Synonyms
4. oust, rout, scatter. 7. hunt, quest.
British Dictionary definitions for give chase

chase1

/tʃeɪs/
verb
1.
to follow or run after (a person, animal, or goal) persistently or quickly
2.
(transitive; often foll by out, away, or off) to force to run (away); drive (out)
3.
(transitive) (informal) to court (a member of the opposite sex) in an unsubtle manner
4.
(informal) (transitive) often foll by up. to pursue persistently and energetically in order to obtain results, information, etc: chase up the builders and get a delivery date
5.
(intransitive) (informal) to hurry; rush
noun
6.
the act of chasing; pursuit
7.
any quarry that is pursued
8.
(Brit) an unenclosed area of land where wild animals are preserved to be hunted
9.
(Brit) the right to hunt a particular quarry over the land of others
10.
the chase, the act or sport of hunting
11.
short for steeplechase
12.
(real tennis) a ball that bounces twice, requiring the point to be played again
13.
(informal, mainly US) cut to the chase, to start talking about the important aspects of something
14.
give chase, to pursue (a person, animal, or thing) actively
Derived Forms
chaseable, adjective
Word Origin
C13: from Old French chacier, from Vulgar Latin captiāre (unattested), from Latin captāre to pursue eagerly, from capere to take; see catch

chase2

/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
verb (transitive)
4.
Also chamfer. to cut a groove, furrow, or flute in (a surface, column, etc)
Word Origin
C17 (in the sense: frame for letterpress matter): probably from French châsse frame (in the sense: bore of a cannon, etc): from Old French chas enclosure, from Late Latin capsus pen for animals; both from Latin capsacase²

chase3

/tʃeɪs/
verb (transitive)
1.
Also enchase. to ornament (metal) by engraving or embossing
2.
to form or finish (a screw thread) with a chaser
Word Origin
C14: from Old French enchasserenchase
Word Origin and History for give chase

chase

v.

c.1300, chacen "to hunt; to cause to go away; put to flight," from Old French chacier "to hunt, ride swiftly, strive for" (12c., Modern French chasser), from Vulgar Latin *captiare (source of Italian cacciare, Catalan casar, Spanish cazar, Portuguese caçar "to chase, hunt;" see catch (v.)).

Meaning "run after" developed mid-14c. Related: Chased; chasing. Older European words for "pursue" often also cover "persecute" (e.g. Greek dioko, Old English ehtan); modern ones often derive from words used primarily for the hunting of animals.

n.

mid-13c., chace, "a hunt," from Old French chace "a hunt, a chase; hunting ground" (12c.), from chacier (see chase (v.)). Meaning "a pursuit" (of an enemy, etc.) is early 14c.

"bore of a gun barrel," 1640s, from French chas "eye of a needle; enclosure," from Vulgar Latin *capsum, variant of Latin capsa "box" (see case (n.2)).

Slang definitions & phrases for give chase

chase

verb

To take a usually milder drink after a drink of liquor: Let's chase this with a little Perrier (1906+)

Related Terms

paper chase


Idioms and Phrases with give chase

give chase

Pursue, as in The police gave chase to the robber. [ c. 1700 ]

chase

see: