Webster's English Dictionary

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chase

Cross references:
  1. form                  
 
1. chase \'cha-s\ vb [ME chasen, fr. MF chasser, fr. (assumed) VL captiare 
   - mor]e at CATCH 1a: to follow rapidly : PURSUE  1b: HUNT  1c: to follow 
   regularly or persistently with the intention of attracting o r alluring obs 
    2: HARASS  3: to seek out  4a: to cause to depart or flee : DRIVE  slang  
   4b: to take (oneself) off  1: to chase an animal, person, or thing  2: 
   RUSH, HASTEN wiftly after and trying to overtake something fleeing or 
   running; PURSUE suggests a continuing effort to overtake, reach, attain; 
   FOLLOW puts less emphasis upon speed or intent to overtake and may not 
   imply an awareness on the part of the leader that he is pursued; TRAIL may 
   stress a following of tracks or traces rather than a visible object SYN syn 
   PURSUE, FOLLOW, TRAIL: CHASE implies going s 
2. chase n 1a: the act of chasing : PURSUIT  1b: HUNTING - used with the  
   1c: an earnest or frenzied seeking after something desired  2: something 
   pursued  3a: a franchise to hunt within certain limits of land  3b: a tract 
   of unenclosed land used as a game preserve 
3. chase vt [ME chassen, modif. of MF enchasser to set] 1a: to ornament 
   (metal) by indenting with a hammer and tools without a cut ting edge 1b: to 
   make by such indentation  1c: to set with gems  2a: GROOVE, INDENT  2b: to 
   cut (a thread) with a chaser 
4. chase n [F chas eye of a needle, fr. LL capsus enclosed space, fr. L, 
   pen,]alter. of capsa box - more at CASE 1: GROOVE, FURROW  2: the bore of a 
   cannon  3a: TRENCH  3b: a channel (as in a wall) for something to lie in or 
   pass through 
5. chase n [prob. fr. F cha^sse frame, fr. L capsa] : a rectangular steel 
   or iron frame into which letterpress matter is locke d for printing or 
   plating