persecute
Formspersecutes, persecuting, persecuted
Often confused with prosecute
- 1To pursue someone in order to harm them or treat them cruelly, especially because of their race, sexual identity or beliefs.
The regime persecuted journalists who criticized the government, jailing many without trial.
Laws that persecute people for their sexuality remain on the books in some countries.
Similaroppress, victimize, torment, hound
Note
At root this is pursuit: the verb comes through French from Latin persequor, "to follow up, pursue," from per- "through" and sequor "to follow," the verb behind sequel. That makes prosecute a close relative and an easy confusion; persecute means hounding someone for who they are, prosecute means taking them to court. Its oldest English home is religious, from John Foxe in 1563 to the King James Bible of 1611.
- 2To harass or annoy someone by pressing requests or demands on them again and again.
Reporters persecuted the reluctant witness with calls and letters until she agreed to an interview.
Some charities persecute past donors with appeals until they stop giving altogether.
- 3To kill large numbers of one species of animal, with the aim of removing it from areas where people live.
Hawks and eagles were persecuted for decades by ranchers who saw them as a threat to livestock.
Conservationists are trying to stop gamekeepers who persecute birds of prey on hunting estates.
Note
A use from wildlife writing, where the object is a whole species rather than a person: wolves, hawks or other animals people want gone from the places they live. It carries over the moral weight of the hounding meaning, so calling the killing persecution presents it as unjust, not as ordinary pest control. The verb is often in the passive or the progressive, as in wolves persecuted for centuries.
Practice
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Origin
Borrowed from Middle French persécuter, from Ecclesiastical Latin persecutor, from Latin persequor, persecutus ("follow up, pursue"), from per- ("through") + sequor ("follow"), the root of English sequel. Compare prosecute and pursue.