lexicow

pursue

/pərˈsuː//pəˈsjuː/·verb
I watch someone break into a run with one hand flung out ahead, fingers spread for a light that hovers just past them. Every time the stride gains and the hand nearly closes on it, the light slides forward by the very same distance, and the gap stays exactly as wide as before. The legs keep driving, the reach keeps stretching, and the glow keeps its lead. All of it is the going-after; none of it is the catching.
|

Definition

To pursue something is to go after it — to chase a person, a goal, or a line of thought with sustained effort. It comes through Old French from Latin prosequi, 'to follow after', and that following is the heart of it: a pursuit is all forward motion, the gap between you and the thing still open. You pursue a career, a degree, a suspect, an interest. Where to achieve is to reach the goal at last, and to abandon is to turn away from it, pursue is the chase still underway.

Examples

  • She left a steady job to pursue a career in research, whatever it cost her.
  • Detectives pursued every lead until the trail finally went cold.
  • If you pursue a goal stubbornly enough, the early clumsiness gives way to skill.

Collocations

pursue a career·pursue a goal·pursue a degree·pursue an interest·pursue legal action

Synonyms

chase·seek·follow·strive for·go after

Antonyms

abandon·give up·flee·quit

Word family

pursuit (noun)·pursuer (noun)

In TOEFL & IELTS

A strong academic verb for ambition and inquiry: pursue a career / degree / goal / line of research / legal action. The noun is pursuit (in pursuit of; the pursuit of happiness). Watch the spelling (pur-sue) and the US/UK split in the second syllable. Contrast pursue (still chasing) with achieve (finally reaching) and abandon (giving the chase up).