pə(r)ˈsü verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English pursuen, from Anglo-French pursuer, from Old French poursivre, poursuir, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin prosequere, from Latin prosequi to follow, follow after, pursue, from pro- forward + sequi to follow — more at pro- , sue
transitive verb
1.
a. : to follow with enmity : persecute , bedevil : persist in harassing, afflicting, or aggrieving
pursued with peculiar animosity — T.B.Macaulay
b. : to follow usually determinedly in order to overtake, capture, kill, or defeat
the hounds pursued the stag
pursued the fleeing Indians
c. : to attend, follow, and seek to attract
was pursuing two girls at the time — Oliver La Farge
2.
a. : to seek to follow, obtain, attain to, or accomplish : find or employ measures to obtain or accomplish
losing the pearl of great price while pursuing lesser ends — W.R.Inge
b. : to follow or seek by judicial proceedings : prosecute
pursued his legal remedies
3. : to proceed along or act in, according to, or in compliance with : follow
U.S. 220 pursues an irregular north-south course — American Guide Series: Pennsylvania
a compact little village, astir with the same activity it has pursued … since the 17th century — American Guide Series: New Hampshire
4. : to follow up or proceed with : continue : engage oneself with : practice
the ordinary rigorous canons of scientific evidence pursued by the scholarly historian — M.R.Cohen
pursuing the game of high ambition — John Buchan
placidly pursuing her tasks without heeding the surrounding clamor
5. : to follow with or as if with one's eyes, senses, or mind
his thoughts also followed or, rather, pursued the slim woman — Ethel Wilson
6.
a. : to attempt to arrive at (as a point, a place, an end)
moving toward the point it has so energetically pursued — Henry Adams
b. obsolete : to follow in order to avenge or punish
intransitive verb
1. : to go in pursuit : follow after someone or something
where only the strongest dared pursue
2. Scots & eccl law : to bring suit : prosecute — often used with for
3. : to keep on doing or saying : press on (as in argument or speech)
Synonyms: see follow