persecute

See also: persécuté and persécute

English

Etymology

From Middle French persécuter, from Latin persequor (“follow up, pursue”), from per- (“through”) +‎ sequor (“follow”) (English sequel). Compare prosecute.

Pronunciation

Verb

persecute (third-person singular simple present persecutes, present participle persecuting, simple past and past participle persecuted)

  1. To pursue in a manner to injure, grieve, or afflict; to beset with cruelty or malignity; to harass; especially, to afflict, harass, punish, or put to death for one's race, sexual identity, adherence to a particular religious creed, or mode of worship.
    He who persecutes one will persecute all.
    • "Do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." – Matt. 5:44.
  2. To harass with importunity; to pursue with persistent solicitations; to annoy.

Synonyms

Translations

References

Part or all of this entry has been imported from the 1913 edition of Webster’s Dictionary, which is now free of copyright and hence in the public domain. The imported definitions may be significantly out of date, and any more recent senses may be completely missing.
(See the entry for persecute in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.)

Latin

Participle

persecūte

  1. vocative masculine singular of persecūtus
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