Meaning of pursuit in English
Table of contents
Pronunciation
/pərˈsut/US accent
UK accent
to browse different examples of pronunciation.Noun
pursuitEtymology
late Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French purseute‘following after’, from pursuer (see pursue). Early senses included ‘persecution, annoyance’ and in legal contexts ‘petition, prosecution’Definitions
1. the act of pursuing in an effort to overtake or captureExamples
- « the culprit started to run and the cop took off in pursuit »
Derived terms
- 2. a search for an alternative that meets cognitive criteria
Examples
- « the pursuit of love »
- « life is more than the pursuance of fame »
- « a quest for wealth »
Derived terms
- 3. a diversion that occupies one's time and thoughts (usually pleasantly)
Examples
- « sailing is her favorite pastime »
- « his main pastime is gambling »
- « he counts reading among his interests »
- « they criticized the boy for his limited pursuits »
Derived terms
Famous quotes
- « I was bold in the pursuit of knowledge, never fearing to follow truth and reason to whatever results they led, and bearding every authority which stood in their way. » Thomas Jefferson
- « It is not in the pursuit of happiness that we find fulfillment, it is in the happiness of pursuit. » Denis Waitley
- « The pursuit of happiness is a most ridiculous phrase: if you pursue happiness you'll never find it. » Carrie P. Snow
- « When I was young my Father used to tell me that the two most worthwhile pursuits in life were the pursuit of truth and of beauty and I believe that Alfred Nobel must have felt much the same when he gave these prizes for literature and the sciences. » Frederick Sanger
- « In the end, my pursuit of the elusive New York State driver's license became about much more than a divorced woman's learning to drive for the first time. » Suzanne Vega