pursue

English

Etymology

From Middle English pursuen, from Anglo-Norman pursure, poursuire etc., from Latin prōsequor (though influenced by persequor). Doublet of prosecute.

Pronunciation

(Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /pəˈsjuː/
(UK) IPA^(key): /pəˈʃuː/
(General American) IPA^(key): /pɚˈsu/
(General Australian) IPA^(key): /pəˈʃu/
(Nigeria) IPA^(key): /pɜˈʃuː/
Audio (US): (file)
Audio (UK): (file)
Rhymes: -uː

Verb

pursue (third-person singular simple present pursues, present participle pursuing, simple past and past participle pursued)

(ambitransitive) To follow urgently, originally with intent to capture or harm; to chase. [from 14th c.]
pursue one's dreams
- 15 September 2009, Martin Chulov, “Iraqi shoe-thrower claims he suffered torture in jail”, in The Guardian:
  He now feared for his life, and believed US intelligence agents would pursue him.
(transitive) To follow, travel down (a particular way, course of action etc.). [from late 14th c.]
Her rival pursued a quite different course.
(transitive) To aim for, go after (a specified objective, situation etc.). [from late 14th c.]
- 1 December 2009, Benjamin Pogrund, “Freeze won't hurt Netanyahu”, in The Guardian:
  He even stands to gain in world terms: his noisy critics strengthen his projected image of a man determined to pursue peace with Palestinians.
(transitive) To participate in (an activity, business etc.); to practise, follow (a profession). [from 15th c.]
- 2001, David L. Lieber, Jules Harlow, Etz Hayim: Torah and Commentary, page 141:
  The Kedarites are depicted as herders of sheep and goats who pursued a seminomadic existence and lived scattered over a wide area of the desert region east of the land of Israel.
(intransitive) To act as a legal prosecutor.
(transitive, somewhat archaic) To continue; to carry on.
- 1870, Richard Francis Burton, “Conclusion”, in Vikram and the Vampire; or, Tales of Hindu Devilry, London: Longmans, Green, and Co, page 307:
  'Allow me, great king,' pursued the Demon, in a dry tone of voice, 'to wish you joy […]

Derived terms

pursuer

Related terms

Translations

to follow urgently

Arabic: لَاحَقَ (lāḥaqa)
Hijazi Arabic: لاحق (lāḥag), لِحِق (liḥig)
Aragonese: please add this translation if you can
Armenian: հետապնդել (hy) (hetapndel)
Belarusian: перасле́дваць impf (pjerasljédvacʹ)
Breton: poursu
Bulgarian: пресле́двам (bg) impf (preslédvam)
Catalan: perseguir (ca)
Cherokee: ᎠᎨᎯ (agehi)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 追求 (zh) (zhuīqiú)
Czech: pronásledovat impf
Danish: forfølge
Dhivehi: please add this translation if you can
Dutch: achtervolgen (nl)
Finnish: ajaa takaa, seurata (fi), ahdistaa (fi)
French: poursuivre (fr)
German: verfolgen (de)
Gothic: 𐌻𐌰𐌹𐍃𐍄𐌾𐌰𐌽 (laistjan)
Greek:
Ancient: διώκω (diṓkō)
Hebrew: רדף (he) (radaf)
Hungarian: üldöz (hu), űz (hu), hajszol (hu)
Indonesian: mengejar (id)
Italian: perseguire (it)
Japanese: 追跡する (ja) (ついせきする, tsuiseki suru)
Khmer: តាមដេញ (taamdəñ)
Korean: 뒤쫓다 (dwijjotda)
Ladino: perseguir, asegir
Latin: consector, insector, sector (la); persequor (la), prōsequor; venor
Old English: æfterfolgian
Ottoman Turkish: قوغمق (koğmak, kovmak)
Persian: دنبال کردن (fa) (donbâl kardan)
Polish: ścigać (pl)
Portuguese: perseguir (pt)
Romanian: urmări (ro)
Russian: пресле́довать (ru) impf (preslédovatʹ), гна́ться (ru) impf (gnátʹsja)
Serbo-Croatian:
Cyrillic: гонити

Roman: goniti (sh)
Slovak: prenasledovať impf
Spanish: perseguir (es)
Swedish: förfölja (sv)
Turkish: kovalamak (tr)
Ugaritic: 𐎐𐎂𐎌 (ngš)
Ukrainian: переслі́дувати impf (pereslíduvaty)
Walloon: kitchessî (wa), portchessî (wa), porshuve (wa)

to travel down a particular way or course of action

Arabic: اِتَّبَعَ (ar) (ittabaʕa)
Bulgarian: следвам (bg) (sledvam)
Dutch: volgen (nl)
Finnish: seurata (fi)
German: folgen (de), beschreiten (de)
Persian: دنبال کردن (fa) (donbâl kardan)
Russian: пресле́довать (ru) impf (preslédovatʹ), сле́довать (ru) impf (slédovatʹ)
Spanish: seguir (es), proseguir (es)
Swedish: följa (sv)

to aim for

Armenian: նպատակ հետապնդել (npatak hetapndel)
Azerbaijani: güdmək
Dutch: najagen (nl)
Finnish: pyrkiä (fi)
French: rechercher (fr)
German: nachjagen (de)
Indonesian: mengejar (id)
Italian: perseguitare (it), tormentare (it), inseguire (it), cercare (it)
Khmer: មានគោលបំណង (mien kool bɑmnɑɑŋ)
Korean: 추구하다 (chuguhada)
Latin: apīscor
Maori: koromaki
Ngazidja Comorian: uɗunga
Persian: به دنبال چیزی بودن ((be) donbâl-e čizi budan)
Portuguese: procurar (pt), perseguir (pt)
Spanish: perseguir (es), apuntar a, luchar por, buscar (es), pretender (es), procurar (es)
Turkish: hedeflemek (tr)

to participate in, practise (an activity, profession)

Armenian: մասնակցել (hy) (masnakcʻel)
Bulgarian: занимавам се (zanimavam se)
Dutch: beoefenen (nl)
Finnish: harjoittaa (fi)
German: nachgehen (de)
Hungarian: folytat (hu), gyakorol (hu), (sport) űz (hu)
Indonesian: mengikuti (id)
Italian: praticare (it), attendere (it)
Khmer: បន្ត (km) (bɑntɑɑ)
Persian: دنبال کردن (fa) (donbâl kardan)
Russian: занима́ться (ru) impf (zanimátʹsja)
Spanish: cursar (es) (a degree)
Turkish: başlamak (tr)
Ukrainian: займа́тися impf (zajmátysja)
Walloon: fé (wa) (with preposition "do", "del"), pratiker

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

Woiwurrung: ^{(please verify)} tarra-gak

Anagrams

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