Pursuit: The Chase, and the Hobby
A pursuit is a chase, and also an activity you spend time on. The second sense turns hobbies into things you are chasing.
A pursuit is a chase, and also an occupation or pastime. The second sense is a quiet metaphor: calling reading or gardening a *leisure pursuit* treats it as something you are chasing rather than merely doing. The most famous use is in the American Declaration of Independence: the pursuit of happiness.
- A chase. *A high-speed pursuit.*
- An activity or occupation. *Leisure pursuits.*
- An attempt to achieve something. *The pursuit of excellence.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | pursuit | A long pursuit. |
| Plural | pursuits | Outdoor pursuits. |
| Verb | pursue | Pursue a claim. |
| Person | pursuer | The pursuer gave up. |
| Related | persist | Persist with it. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Police abandoned the pursuit.The chase.
- He took up various outdoor pursuits.Activities.
- In pursuit of a quieter life, they moved north.In pursuit of names the goal.
Chasing words
- Pursuit — a sustained chase
- Chase — the plain word
- Hunt — a search with intent to catch
- Quest — a long search for something valued
- Pursuit cycling — a track event where riders start on opposite sides
From Anglo-French *purseute*, from *pursuer*, to follow, from Latin *prosequi*, to follow after — the same root as *prosecute* and *sequence*.
Are pursue and prosecute related?
Yes. Both come from Latin *prosequi*, to follow after. A prosecution follows a case through the courts.
What does *the pursuit of happiness* mean?
The phrase in the United States Declaration of Independence names a right to seek happiness, not a guarantee of achieving it.