v.tr.
1. subject (a person etc.) to hostility or ill-treatment, esp. on the grounds of political or religious belief.
2 harass; worry.
3 (often foll. by with) bombard (a person) with questions etc.
Derivatives:
persecutor n. persecutory adj.
Etymology: ME f. OF persecuter back-form. f. persecuteur persecutor f. LL persecutor f. L persequi (as PER-, sequi secut- follow, pursue)