chase
chase — verb
1. to move quickly behind a fleeing person or creature, trying to overtake and capt
to move quickly behind a fleeing person or creature, trying to overtake and capture them
The police officer chased the thief through the busy market square.
chase + noun + through [place] for pursuit
Kofi's dog chased a squirrel across the park and into the woods.
The children chased each other around the garden until their mother called them in.
chase + each other for reciprocal action
Rashida chased the number 42 bus for three blocks but the driver did not stop.
A young fox chased the hen across the farmyard and into the barn.
chase + across/into for movement path
- chase a thief
- chase a dog
- chase a bus
- chase after someone
- chase through the streets
Grammar Patterns
chase + noun
chase after + noun
chase + noun + adverb/preposition
Usage Note
This is the core, most frequent sense. Object is typically a moving entity (person, animal, vehicle). The preposition indicates the path or direction of the pursuit.
Common Mistakes
2. to run or rush from one place to another, often in a hurried or excited way with
to run or rush from one place to another, often in a hurried or excited way without a clear purpose
Theo chased around the house looking for his lost wallet before work.
chase around + [place] for hurried search
Tourists were chasing from one art gallery to the next all afternoon.
I have been chasing about all day running errands for my grandmother.
chase about for busy movement
The reporters chased after the singer as she hurried to her car.
- chase about
- chase around
- chase from place to place
- chase after someone
Grammar Patterns
chase + adverb/preposition
chase about/around/round
Usage Note
This sense is always intransitive and requires an adverb or preposition (about, around, after, from...to). Without the following phrase, the meaning is unclear.
3. to put a great deal of effort into getting a desirable thing that is not easily
to put a great deal of effort into getting a desirable thing that is not easily obtained — a job, a deal, a record, fame, or success, for example
After graduating, Mei chased her dream of becoming a commercial pilot.
chase + dream / ambition for abstract goals
The software company is chasing a major deal with a hospital in Tokyo.
Pia has been chasing that promotion for more than two years now.
chase + promotion / record / title
Many young musicians chase fame and forget to enjoy making music.
- chase a dream
- chase success
- chase a record
- chase a deal
- chase a promotion
- pursue
more formal; suggests a longer-term commitment
- strive for
emphasises effort and determination
- go after
phrasal verb; less formal, very common in speech
Grammar Patterns
chase + noun (abstract goal)
chase after + noun (abstract goal)
Usage Note
Object is always an abstract noun — a goal, achievement, or opportunity. Not used with physical objects. Frequently used in career and business contexts.
Common Mistakes
4. to show persistent romantic interest in someone, hoping they will eventually bec
to show persistent romantic interest in someone, hoping they will eventually become your boyfriend, girlfriend, or partner
Tomás chases Leila for months before she finally agreed to a date.
chase + person for romantic pursuit
In the film, a prince chases a princess across several kingdoms.
Hana told Yusuf to stop chasing him because he was not interested.
stop chasing + person — common imperative pattern
The song is about a man who chases a woman he met at a party.
- chase a man
- chase a woman
- chase after someone
- stop chasing
- be chased by admirers
Grammar Patterns
chase + person
chase after + person
Usage Note
Mostly used in informal contexts — stories, gossip, songs, films. Can sound old-fashioned or playful depending on context. 'Chase after' is more common in British English.
Common Mistakes
5. to threaten someone or an animal by running at them so that they flee the area
to threaten someone or an animal by running at them so that they flee the area
The farmer chased the goats out of his vegetable garden with a stick.
chase + noun + out of [place] for removal
A stray dog chased the mail carrier down the street this morning.
Security guards chased the photographers away from the wedding venue.
chase + noun + away for driving off
The shop owner chased a group of teenagers off his property last night.
- chase away
- chase off
- chase out of
- chase down the street
- drive away
suggests less running; more about scaring off
- scare off
focuses on the fear, not the running
- shoo away
gentler; used for animals or small children
Grammar Patterns
chase + noun + away/off/out of
chase + noun + adverb
Usage Note
Always includes a direction adverb (away, off, out of, down) that tells where the target is driven. Without this adverb the meaning shifts to sense 1 (pursuit to catch).
Common Mistakes
chase up
phrasal verbTo contact someone to remind them to do something they promised or to get information.
I need to chase up the supplier about our missing order.
Could you chase up the client for their feedback on the proposal?
To spend a lot of time and effort on something without making any real progress.
Mia felt like she was chasing her tail all day at work.
Stop chasing your own tail and focus on one task at a time.
chase — noun
1. the activity of hurrying behind a person, animal, or vehicle with the aim of sei
the activity of hurrying behind a person, animal, or vehicle with the aim of seizing them
After a long chase through the city, the police finally caught the suspect.
after a long chase — typical time-frame pattern
The cat joined the chase when a mouse ran across the kitchen floor.
The film opens with an exciting car chase through the streets of Rome.
car chase — common compound noun
The thief dropped his bag during the chase and escaped into the subway.
- a car chase
- a police chase
- give chase
- cut to the chase
- a long chase
- a high-speed chase
Grammar Patterns
the chase
a chase
in the chase
a car chase
a police chase
Usage Note
Often modified by a noun describing the method (car chase, police chase, bike chase) or embedded in idioms like 'cut to the chase' and 'give chase.'
Common Mistakes
Word family
- chasernounC1
- chasingnounB2
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
Chase emphasises speed and the desire to catch — you chase someone you can see fleeing. Pursue is more formal and can be physical or abstract (pursue a goal, pursue a suspect). Follow is the gentlest of the four; you can follow without the other person knowing, and there is no implication of wanting to catch. Track suggests following signs or evidence — footprints, GPS signals, financial records — rather than running behind someone. For example: a police car chases a speeding motorcycle; detectives pursue a serial killer over many months; a child follows her mother through the supermarket; scientists track a tiger by its radio collar.
Common collocations
Etymology
Chase entered English in the 13th century from the Old French word 'chacier', meaning 'to hunt, to catch.' The French root comes from the Latin 'captiare', a frequentative form of 'capere' (to take or seize). Over time the meaning broadened from hunting animals to any kind of rapid pursuit, and later to abstract goals and romantic pursuit.