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Definition of chase verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

chase

verb
 
 
/tʃeɪs/
 
/tʃeɪs/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they chase
 
/tʃeɪs/
 
/tʃeɪs/
he / she / it chases
 
/ˈtʃeɪsɪz/
 
/ˈtʃeɪsɪz/
past simple chased
 
/tʃeɪst/
 
/tʃeɪst/
past participle chased
 
/tʃeɪst/
 
/tʃeɪst/
-ing form chasing
 
/ˈtʃeɪsɪŋ/
 
/ˈtʃeɪsɪŋ/
Idioms Phrasal Verbs
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    run/drive after

  1.  
    [transitive, intransitive] to run, drive, etc. after somebody/something in order to catch them or it
    • chase somebody/something My dog likes chasing rabbits.
    • The kids chased each other around the kitchen table.
    • We were chased by a bull while crossing the field.
    • chase after somebody/something He chased after the burglar but couldn't catch him.
    Wordfinder
    Extra Examples
    • The boys were chasing each other around the yard.
    • They chased after the burglar but didn't catch him.
    Topics Crime and punishmentb2
  2.  
    [transitive] chase somebody/something + adv./prep. to force somebody/something to run away
    • Chase the cat out—we don't want her in the kitchen.
    • This particular fish chases off any other fish that enters its territory.
    3.

    money/work/success

  3.  
    [transitive] chase something to try to obtain or achieve something, for example money, work or success
    • Too many people are chasing too few jobs nowadays.
    • The team is chasing its first win in five games.
    4.

    man/woman

  4.  
    [intransitive, transitive] (informal) to try to persuade somebody to have a sexual relationship with you
    • chase after somebody Kevin's been chasing after Joan for months.
    • chase somebody Girls are always chasing him.
    5.

    remind somebody

  5.  
    [transitive] chase somebody (informal) to persuade somebody to do something that they should have done already
    • I need to chase him about organizing the meeting.
    6.

    rush

  6. [intransitive] + adv./prep. (informal) to rush or hurry somewhere
    • I've been chasing around town all morning looking for a present for Sharon.
    7.

    metal

  7. [transitive] chase something (specialist) to cut patterns or designs on metal
    • chased silver
    8. Word Originverb senses 1 to 5 Middle English: from Old French chacier (verb), chace (noun), based on Latin captare ‘continue to take’, from capere ‘take’. verb sense 6 late Middle English: apparently from earlier enchase, from Old French enchasser.
Idioms
chase your (own) tail
  1. (informal) to be very busy but in fact achieve very littleTopics Difficulty and failurec2
See chase in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
Check pronunciation: chase

Nearby words

trait
noun
 
 
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