pursuitpur‧suit /pəˈsjuːt $ pərˈsuːt/ ●○○ AWL noun 
the pursuit of liberty and happiness the pursuit of war criminalsin (the) pursuit of something People are having to move to other areas in pursuit of work.2[uncountable] when someone chases or follows someone elsein pursuit There were four police cars in pursuit. The quarterback sprinted toward the end zone with Jansen in hot pursuit (=following closely behind).3[countable usually plural] formal an activity such as a sport or hobby, which you spend a lot of time doing: pursuits such as swimming and tennis
WORD ORIGINpursuit
Origin:
1300-1400 Old French poursuite, from poursuir; ➔ PURSUEEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Moriarty spent the summer focusing on his musical pursuits.
- But it is likely that both would be harder-nosed in the pursuit of national interests.
- Furthermore, he is only concerned with one thing and that is the pursuit of the White Whale.
- Gentle took a moment to ask if Judith was all right - which she was - then raced in pursuit.
- His aristocratic family was so against his religious pursuits they locked him away for fifteen months.
- I learned something about the difference between a serious and quiet pursuit and a popular movement.
- In a traditional adventure story the pursuit of personal honour is drawn to an absolute conclusion.
- Science is a logical pursuit but progress in science does not necessarily, or even usually, follow a straight path.
- The Confederates, their own ranks disorganized and in a state of confusion, made only a limited pursuit.
THESAURUS
an activity that you enjoy, and that you like to spend time doing when you are not working: · Stamp collecting has been a hobby of mine since I was a child.· We had to write an essay about our hobbies.
something that you are interested in and like doing or talking about: · Her interests were the same as most young girls – pop music, boys and clothes.
especially written something that you do because it is enjoyable or interesting: · Gardening was her mother's favourite pastime.· In England talking about the weather is a national pastime (=something that a lot of people in a country do).
something that you feel extremely interested in and care a lot about: · Football was his passion.· For the French, food is a passion.
formal an activity that you spend time doing – used especially in the following phrases: · The hills and lakes are used for a variety of outdoor pursuits.· Her son wasn't really interested in academic pursuits.· Mountaineering, golfing, and fishing were among his leisure pursuits
Longman Language Activatorsomething that people do for enjoyment · What kind of activities do you enjoy?outdoor/indoor activities · Rebecca has always loved hiking and other outdoor activities.leisure/social/cultural etc activities · The retirement home arranges social and cultural activities for its seniors.lay on activities British (=provide them) · In the afternoon, there will be plenty of activities laid on for the kids.
formal things that people do because they enjoy them: leisure/outdoor/artistic etc pursuits: · Her husband never gave her much support in her artistic pursuits.· After he retired, my grandfather was able to devote his time to literary pursuits.
an activity that is pleasant, relaxing and usually not very difficult, that you do when you are not working, because you enjoy it: · Our cat's favourite pastime is sitting at the window and watching the people walk by.· Watching talk shows has become a national pastime in this country.
something that you can do and that will stop you feeling bored when you have nothing to do: · I don't mind helping - it'll give me something to do.· He really needs something to do in his spare time to keep him out of trouble.
something that you do for interest and enjoyment regularly over a long period of time, for example, collecting things or making models: · My hobbies are wind-surfing and playing the guitar.· I never saw my song-writing as anything more than a hobby until recently.
to follow a person or animal quickly in order to catch them to run or walk quickly behind someone in order to catch them or talk to them, when they are going away from you: · A group of little boys ran after him to ask for his autograph.· She's left her briefcase. Quick! Run after her!
to run after someone in order to catch them, when they are trying to escape from you: · I didn't have the energy to chase him any more.chase somebody across/up/down etc something: · The farmer chased the children across the field.chase after: · We chased after him for about five blocks but then we lost him and had to turn back.
especially written to chase someone in a very determined way - used especially in stories and news reports: · Police pursued the gunman into an abandoned building.· The ship was being pursued by enemy submarines.
if you are in pursuit of someone, you chase them because you want to catch them -- used especially in stories and news reports: · The robbers sped off in a stolen car with three police vehicles in pursuit.in pursuit of: · Cheng raced through a crowded shopping mall in pursuit of the man who had grabbed her purse.in hot pursuit: · A deer suddenly sprang across the road, with a pack of hunting dogs in hot pursuit.
written to follow very closely behind someone who is trying to escape from you, especially when you want to catch or attack them - used especially in stories: · The rebels headed for the border but government troops were still at their heels.be hard/hot/close on somebody's heels: · Just 15 minutes into the race Lawson was already hot on the champion's heels.on/at somebody's heels: · He rushed out of the theatre with a pack of reporters at his heels.
to follow someone quickly especially because you want to talk to them: · Don't go after him now. Let him calm down first.
to start to chase someone who is trying to escape from you - used especially in stories and descriptions: · Police spotted the car speeding on Dumbarton Bridge and quickly gave chase.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY The quarterback sprinted toward the end zone with Jansen in hot pursuit (=following closely behind).COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
The quarterback sprinted toward the end zone with Jansen in hot pursuit (=following closely behind). (=the act of trying to achieve happiness)· The Declaration of Independence guarantees ‘liberty’ and ‘the pursuit of happiness.’
formal (=leisure activities)· Ask about his hobbies and leisure pursuits.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· You might perhaps like it to change: more active pursuits such as walking, golf, tennis, swimming, cycling?· Similarly, old people are seen in the same light, which explains their lack of employment or active leisure pursuits.· Both presupposed open policies in secondary education and the active pursuit of talents.· Few older people, approximately 10 - 20 percent, participate in active leisure pursuits such as swimming or jogging.
· He would chase after them with me in hot pursuit, so he had to go back.· The first time a car approached I ran from it, thinking it was an agent of Edna in hot pursuit.· The incumbent is now off in hot pursuit of government funding for the much-enlarged interoperability lab, see above.· A pack leader saw the police in hot pursuit, called six Sturmabteilungen to him and led them into the stadium.· Is he satisfied with the present arrangements for hot pursuit?· Seeing Naseby in hot pursuit running on foot after the cart almost convinced him it was.· She promptly set down her plate of lobster salad and set off in hot pursuit.
· Among other pursuits she served for many years as a Stewardess with the Donaldson Line which took her all over the world.· All these were chance discoveries by scientists engaged in other pursuits.· Too much time was spent on student journalism and other pursuits and too little on the books.
· In two cases, beds have been bought from other counties and in the third, an outdoor pursuits scheme was used.· Importantly, Alloutdoors.com will provide greater traffic and e-commerce opportunities on Emap's own outdoor pursuits online activities.· Other outdoor pursuits - particularly golf and horseriding - are well provided for.· He was also showing a distaste for outdoor pursuits that ran against the grain of their family life.· Minehead is West Somerset's busy seaside gateway to this magnificent countryside with its many outdoor pursuits.· Next: walks and outdoor pursuits.· They have a very comprehensive information sheet giving details of qualifications and training courses relevant to a career in outdoor pursuits.· Winters are wild enough to curtail many of the outdoor pursuits that attract in the first place.
· The years of imprisonment; the relentless pursuit by the police official, Javert.· He was relentless in pursuit of a story.· Steve has a track record of not allowing medical adversity to stand in the way of his relentless pursuit of Olympic titles.· This relentless pursuit of growth and increased profit at any cost is questionable.· But more often than not, his relentless pursuit of food leads Rubbish into trouble.· Its most striking features are an intense pre-occupation with weight and shape and a relentless pursuit of thinness.
NOUN· According to the other, housework provides the opportunity for endless creative and leisure pursuits.· The choice of organised leisure pursuits is little short of staggering.· You may have a family but that does not mean you have to neglect your own sport and leisure pursuit.· A whole range of leisure pursuits, hobbies, social encounters, information sources, are automatically excluded.· What time there was free was devoted overwhelmingly to home and family life, including such home-based leisure pursuits as watching television.· Similarly, old people are seen in the same light, which explains their lack of employment or active leisure pursuits.· Marketing agencies emphasise this age group's increased interest in leisure pursuits, for example in participative sport and travel.
VERB· Cursing, he continued his pursuit.· Circumstances made it difficult to continue her pursuit of representing Bosnia in Atlanta.· But it could be lurking up ahead somewhere, Julie reasoned, waiting to continue its pursuit.· Out of the Storm 1935-1939 Throughout 1935 Vivien continued her lonely pursuit of her husband.
· To cheers and aahs he emerged on the far bank, shook himself and set off in dripping pursuit.· Not to be denied, at least a dozen fans hailed waiting taxis and set off in pursuit.· Reinvigorated, he would set off in pursuit ... This sport went on for hours, well into the evening.· She promptly set down her plate of lobster salad and set off in hot pursuit.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
- Liz ran out the front door, with Tony in hot pursuit.
- The cops and the dogs set out after them in hot pursuit.
- A pack leader saw the police in hot pursuit, called six Sturmabteilungen to him and led them into the stadium.
- He would chase after them with me in hot pursuit, so he had to go back.
- Seeing Naseby in hot pursuit running on foot after the cart almost convinced him it was.
- She promptly set down her plate of lobster salad and set off in hot pursuit.
- The first time a car approached I ran from it, thinking it was an agent of Edna in hot pursuit.
- The incumbent is now off in hot pursuit of government funding for the much-enlarged interoperability lab, see above.
- Though not, of course, the one he'd just come up because the ferret was still down there in hot pursuit.
WORD FAMILYnounpursuerpursuitverbpursue
1[uncountable] when someone tries to get, achieve, or find something in a determined waypursuit of the pursuit of liberty and happiness the pursuit of war criminalsin (the) pursuit of something People are having to move to other areas in pursuit of work.2[uncountable] when someone chases or follows someone elsein pursuit There were four police cars in pursuit. The quarterback sprinted toward the end zone with Jansen in hot pursuit (=following closely behind).3[countable usually plural] formal an activity such as a sport or hobby, which you spend a lot of time doing: pursuits such as swimming and tennis