chase
♦ chase /tʃ'eɪs/ (chases chasing chased)
1 [VERB] V n, V after n
If you chase someone, or chase after them, you run after them or follow them quickly in order to catch or reach them.
She chased the thief for 100 yards...
He said nothing to waiting journalists, who chased after him as he left.
= pursue
[N-COUNT]
Chase is also a noun.
He was reluctant to give up the chase...
Police said he was arrested without a struggle after a car chase through the streets of Biarritz.
= pursuit
2 [VERB] V n, V after n
If you are chasing something you want, such as work or money, you are trying hard to get it.
In Wales, 14 people are chasing every job...
...publishers and booksellers chasing after profits from high-volume sales.
[N-SING] N for n
Chase is also a noun.
They took an invincible lead in the chase for the championship.
3 [VERB] V n, V after n
If someone chases someone that they are attracted to, or chases after them, they try hard to persuade them to have a sexual relationship with them.
I'm not very good at flirting or chasing women...
`I was always chasing after unsuitable men,' she says.
[N-SING] the N
Chase is also a noun.
The chase is always much more exciting than the conquest anyway.
4 [VERB] V n from/out of/off n, V n away/off/out
If someone chases you from a place, they force you to leave by using threats or violence.
Many farmers will then chase you off their land quite aggressively...
Angry demonstrators chased him away.
5 [PHRASE] V inflects
If someone cuts to the chase, they start talking about or dealing with what is important, instead of less important things.
Hi everyone, we all know why we are here today, so let's cut to the chase.
6 [VERB] V n from/out of n
To chase someone from a job or a position or from power means to force them to leave it.
His single-minded pursuit of European union helped chase Mrs Thatcher from power.
7 [VERB] V prep/adv
If you chase somewhere, you run or rush there.
They chased down the stairs into the narrow, dirty street.
= race, dash
8
see also wild goose chase
9 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you give chase, you run after someone or follow them quickly in order to catch them.
Other officers gave chase but the killers escaped.
10 [PHRASE]
If you talk about the thrill of the chase, you are referring to the excitement that people feel when they are trying hard to get something.
People who adore the thrill of the chase know that prizes, like diamonds, are worth striving for.chase away
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron)
If someone or something chases away worries, fears, or other bad feelings, they cause those feelings to change and become happier. (WRITTEN)
Ellery's return will help to chase away some of the gloom...
= get rid ofchase down
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V P n (not pron)
If you chase someone down, you run after them or follow them quickly and catch them. (mainly AM)
Ness chased the thief down and held him until police arrived...
For thousands of years chasing down game was the main activity in which humans were involved.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V P n (not pron)
If you chase someone or something down, you manage to find them after searching for them.
That's when I chased her down to be the singer in my band...
Bank officials argued that it is not their job to chase down every asset of every bank debtor.
= track downchase up
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V P n (not pron)
If you chase up something that is needed or needs dealing with, you find it or find out what is being done about it.
When I didn't hear from the suppliers or receive a refund, I chased the matter up...
The authority can chase up the source of the pollution and demand that the owner clean it up.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), also V n P
If you chase someone up, you look for them and find them because you want them to do something or give you something.
...the story of a man who comes to Hollywood to chase up a client who has defaulted on a debt.
= track downwild goose chase (wild goose chases)
also wild-goose chase
[N-COUNT] usu on N
If you are on a wild goose chase, you waste a lot of time searching for something that you have little chance of finding, because you have been given incorrect information.
Harry wondered if Potts had deliberately sent him on a wild goose chase.
1 [VERB] V n, V after n
If you chase someone, or chase after them, you run after them or follow them quickly in order to catch or reach them.
She chased the thief for 100 yards...
He said nothing to waiting journalists, who chased after him as he left.
= pursue
[N-COUNT]
Chase is also a noun.
He was reluctant to give up the chase...
Police said he was arrested without a struggle after a car chase through the streets of Biarritz.
= pursuit
2 [VERB] V n, V after n
If you are chasing something you want, such as work or money, you are trying hard to get it.
In Wales, 14 people are chasing every job...
...publishers and booksellers chasing after profits from high-volume sales.
[N-SING] N for n
Chase is also a noun.
They took an invincible lead in the chase for the championship.
3 [VERB] V n, V after n
If someone chases someone that they are attracted to, or chases after them, they try hard to persuade them to have a sexual relationship with them.
I'm not very good at flirting or chasing women...
`I was always chasing after unsuitable men,' she says.
[N-SING] the N
Chase is also a noun.
The chase is always much more exciting than the conquest anyway.
4 [VERB] V n from/out of/off n, V n away/off/out
If someone chases you from a place, they force you to leave by using threats or violence.
Many farmers will then chase you off their land quite aggressively...
Angry demonstrators chased him away.
5 [PHRASE] V inflects
If someone cuts to the chase, they start talking about or dealing with what is important, instead of less important things.
Hi everyone, we all know why we are here today, so let's cut to the chase.
6 [VERB] V n from/out of n
To chase someone from a job or a position or from power means to force them to leave it.
His single-minded pursuit of European union helped chase Mrs Thatcher from power.
7 [VERB] V prep/adv
If you chase somewhere, you run or rush there.
They chased down the stairs into the narrow, dirty street.
= race, dash
8
see also wild goose chase
9 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you give chase, you run after someone or follow them quickly in order to catch them.
Other officers gave chase but the killers escaped.
10 [PHRASE]
If you talk about the thrill of the chase, you are referring to the excitement that people feel when they are trying hard to get something.
People who adore the thrill of the chase know that prizes, like diamonds, are worth striving for.chase away
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron)
If someone or something chases away worries, fears, or other bad feelings, they cause those feelings to change and become happier. (WRITTEN)
Ellery's return will help to chase away some of the gloom...
= get rid ofchase down
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V P n (not pron)
If you chase someone down, you run after them or follow them quickly and catch them. (mainly AM)
Ness chased the thief down and held him until police arrived...
For thousands of years chasing down game was the main activity in which humans were involved.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V P n (not pron)
If you chase someone or something down, you manage to find them after searching for them.
That's when I chased her down to be the singer in my band...
Bank officials argued that it is not their job to chase down every asset of every bank debtor.
= track downchase up
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V n P, V P n (not pron)
If you chase up something that is needed or needs dealing with, you find it or find out what is being done about it.
When I didn't hear from the suppliers or receive a refund, I chased the matter up...
The authority can chase up the source of the pollution and demand that the owner clean it up.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), also V n P
If you chase someone up, you look for them and find them because you want them to do something or give you something.
...the story of a man who comes to Hollywood to chase up a client who has defaulted on a debt.
= track downwild goose chase (wild goose chases)
also wild-goose chase
[N-COUNT] usu on N
If you are on a wild goose chase, you waste a lot of time searching for something that you have little chance of finding, because you have been given incorrect information.
Harry wondered if Potts had deliberately sent him on a wild goose chase.