chase : Idioms & Phrases

• an attempt to accomplish something impossible or unlikely of attainment.

Webster 1913

• verb pursue someone sexually or romantically
  chase.
  
• verb go after with the intent to catch
  go after; chase after; track; dog; trail; tail; tag; chase.
  
  • The policeman chased the mugger down the alley
  • the dog chased the rabbit

WordNet

• verb force to go away; used both with concrete and metaphoric meanings
  turn back; drive out; dispel; drive away; drive off; run off.
  
  • Drive away potential burglars
  • drive away bad thoughts
  • dispel doubts
  • The supermarket had to turn back many disappointed customers

WordNet

• (Naut.), a cannon placed at the bow or stern of an armed vessel, and used when pursuing an enemy, or in defending the vessel when pursued.

Webster 1913

• (Naut.), a porthole from which a chase gun is fired.

Webster 1913

• in fine art metal working, a mode of ornamenting silverware, etc., producing figures by dots and lines made with a punching tool. Knight.

Webster 1913

Frank"-chase` noun

Etymology

Frank free + chase.

Definitions

1. (Eng. Law) The liberty or franchise of having a chase; free chase. Burrill.

Webster 1913

• verb go after with the intent to catch
  go after; chase after; track; dog; trail; tail; tag; chase.
  
  • The policeman chased the mugger down the alley
  • the dog chased the rabbit

WordNet

• noun an outdoor game; one group of players (the hares) start off on a long run scattering bits of paper (the scent) and pursuers (the hounds) try to catch them before they reach a designated spot
  hare and hounds.
  

WordNet

• noun United States politician and jurist who served as chief justice of the United States Supreme Court (1808-1873)
  Salmon P. Chase; Chase.
  

WordNet

• noun United States politician and jurist who served as chief justice of the United States Supreme Court (1808-1873)
  Salmon P. Chase; Chase.
  

WordNet

• a race across country between a number of horsemen, to see which can first reach some distant object, as a church steeple; hence, a race over a prescribed course obstructed by such obstacles as one meets in riding across country, as hedges, walls, etc.

Webster 1913

• (Naut.), a chase in which the pursuing vessel follows directly in the wake of the vessel pursued.

Webster 1913

• to pursue.

Webster 1913

• the pursuit of something unattainable, or of something as unlikely to be caught as the wild goose. Shak.

Webster 1913

• noun the fruitless pursuit of something unattainable
  

WordNet