pursuit English · revision 7659

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1349–50|origins=fro porsivre}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /pəˈsjuːt/, /pɜː-/ ''(UK)''; /pɝˈsut/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English, [[bor|xno|purseute|t=following after]], pursuite,^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(NODE 1998) Old French poursieute, poursuite, a search, from poursivre, porsuir, to pursue, prosecute (see [[pursue]]).^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ An action at law, a prosecution: 1349–50 in the OED, later chiefly Scottish;^(OED 1989) persecution, about 1380, now obsolete.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ NODE notes that early senses included persecution and annoyance, and in law petition and prosecution.^(NODE 1998) A chase with hostile intent is from the late 14th century,^(Etymonline) and following in order to overtake from 1412–20 (the mid-15th century in Etymonline).^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) A suit or request is an obsolete sense of about 1386.^(OED 1989) One's occupation or recreation, what one engages in, is from the 1520s.^(Etymonline) In track cycling, a race in which riders start at intervals and try to overtake each other is from 1938.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1349–50 – a lawsuit.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1380 – persecution (obsolete).^(OED 1989)

+ * 1412–20 – a chase.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1520s – an occupation.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1938 – in cycling.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The act of [[chase|alt=chasing]] or [[pursue|alt=pursuing]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The act of striving for something: ''the pursuit of happiness''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # An activity, such as a [[hobby]] or occupation, followed regularly.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(cycling)'' A race in which riders start apart and try to catch each other.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[pursuit plane]]

+ * [[hot pursuit]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[pursue]]

+ * [[pursuant]]

+ * [[suit]]

+ * [[sue]]

+ * [[suite]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}