chase

CHAYS/t͡ʃeɪs/

Verbchases, chasing, chased

Noun pluralchases

27 meanings of chase

Practice

1
pursueverbtransitive
To run or go after someone or something quickly to try to catch them.
Like running after a friend who grabbed your hat and won't give it back.
Dogs chase squirrels whenever they get the chance.
The puppy chased its tail in fast little circles.
UsageSay chase a thief, or chase after him.
Similarpursue
Oppositeflee
2
a pursuitnouncountable or uncountable
The act of running or going after someone or something to catch it.
Like a game of tag where one person keeps running after another.
The chase ended when the dog finally caught the ball.
After a long chase, the officers stopped to catch their breath.
UsageGive chase means start to chase. Cut to the chase means get to the point.
Similarpursuit, hunt
3
verbtransitive
To try hard to get or achieve something you want.
Like reaching for a bus that keeps pulling away.
Many people chase money their whole lives.
She chased her dream of becoming a doctor.
UsageSay chase your dreams.
Similarpursue, seek
4
verbtransitive
To make a person or animal go away from a place by running after them or scaring them.
Grandpa waved a broom to chase the crows away from his garden.
The shop owner chased the noisy kids off his front steps.
Similardrive, scare
Note
5
romanceverbtransitive
To keep trying to win someone as a partner for romance or sex.
Like following someone around, hoping they will start to like you.
Boys chase girls they like all through high school.
He chased her for months before she agreed to a date.
UsageOften chasing girls or chasing boys.
Similarpursue, court, woo
Note
6
drink afterverbtransitive
To drink something milder right after a shot of strong alcohol.
Like eating a sweet right after some bad-tasting medicine.
Many drinkers chase whiskey with a cold soda.
He chased the tequila with a wedge of lime and a beer.
UsageSay chase a drink with something.
Similarfollow
Note
7
cricketverbtransitive
In cricket, to try to win by scoring the runs needed in the last innings.
The home side must chase 250 to win the match.
They chased a tricky target on the final afternoon.
Note

Less common meanings

8
nouncountable
A strong effort to win or get something, especially a contest with others for a title or a place.
Our team is still in the chase for first place.
She joined the chase for the top job at the company.
UsageSay the title chase.
Similarrace, hunt, battle, pursuit
9
children's gamenoununcountable
A game where children run after each other to catch one.
The kids played a noisy game of chase in the yard.
After lunch they started another round of chase.
UsageSay play chase.
Similartag, tig
Note
10
swing (baseball)verbtransitive
In baseball, to swing at a ball thrown outside the strike zone.
Young batters often chase pitches that are too high.
He chased a low slider for strike three.
Note
11
pursuing ridersnouncountable or uncountable
In cycling, the riders ahead of the main group trying to catch the leaders.
The chase worked together to close the gap on the leaders.
Fans watched the chase slowly reel in the breakaway.
Note
12
remove pitcherverbtransitive
In baseball, to hit so well that the other team's pitcher gets taken out.
The home team chased the starting pitcher in the third inning.
Strong hitters can chase a tired pitcher early in the game.
Note
13
wall channelnouncountable
A long narrow groove or space, for example inside a wall for pipes or wires.
Like a hidden tunnel inside a wall where wires and pipes can travel.
The electrician ran the cables through a chase in the wall.
They cut a chase into the floor to hide the heating pipes.
Similarchannel, groove, slot
Note
14
decorate metalverbtransitive
To decorate metal by hammering patterns into its surface with small tools.
Like pressing shapes into soft clay, only the surface is metal.
Skilled workers chase silver to add fine patterns.
The jeweler chased delicate flowers into the bracelet.
Similarengrave, emboss, tool
Note
15
nounBritishcountablebritish
In horse racing, a race where the horses jump over big fences, not small hurdles.
Our horse won the chase by two lengths after jumping every fence cleanly.
She loves watching a chase because the horses leap over such big fences.
Similarsteeplechase
Note
16
hunting estatenounBritishcountable or uncountable
A large piece of private land in the countryside where animals are hunted.
Like a huge private park kept just for hunting.
The old chase behind the village is full of deer.
They walked for miles across the chase looking for pheasants.
Similarestate, preserve
Note
17
jazznouncountable or uncountable
In jazz, a series of short solos where musicians take turns improvising.
The band ended the song with a lively chase between the sax and the trumpet.
In the chase, the two saxophone players took turns with short solos.
Note
18
make a grooveverbtransitive
To cut a long narrow groove into something, for example a wall to hide wires.
Like pressing a line into soft clay with your fingernail.
We chased the wall to hide the new wires.
He used a chisel to chase a small groove in the stone step.
Similargroove, channel
19
verbcolloquialUKtransitivebritish
To keep contacting someone to remind them to do, pay, or give what they owe or promised.
I had to chase the shop three times to get my money back.
She keeps chasing her brother for the money he borrowed.
UsageSay chase someone for money.
Similarpress, pester, badger, hound
Note
20
noun
An animal, ship, or other thing that is being chased.
21
noun
A metal frame that holds blocks of type tightly together for printing.
22
verb
To cut the spiral thread onto a screw or bolt.
23
noun
A gun on a ship that fires straight forward or straight backward.
24
noun
In real tennis, a marked spot where the ball lands, used to decide a point later.
25
noun
The front part of a cannon, ahead of the side mounts it turns on.
26
noun
The hollow space inside a mold that gives shape to the material poured in.
27
noun
In boatbuilding, a joint that smooths overlapping planks into a flat surface.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of chase apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1–12, 15–17, 19

It came through Old French and Anglo-Norman from a Latin word capere, and is related to "catch" and "capture".

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

Chase came through Anglo-Norman and Old French, ultimately from Latin capere. en.wiktionary.org
Chase is etymologically related to catch. en.wiktionary.org
Chase is etymologically related to capture. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 13–14, 18

It possibly came from an old French word chas, meaning "groove" or "enclosure", from Latin capsa ("box"), or perhaps from a shortening of "enchase".

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

Chase possibly derives from obsolete French chas, meaning “groove” or “enclosure”. en.wiktionary.org
The proposed French source derives from Latin capsa, meaning “box”. en.wiktionary.org
Chase may alternatively be a shortening of enchase. en.wiktionary.org