pursued
UK[pəˈsjuːd]US[pɚˈsuːd]
v
followed or chased someone or something in order to catch or attack them.
v
tried to achieve or obtain something over a long period.
v
continued to investigate, discuss, or be involved with an idea, plan, or activity.
Morpheme Breakdown
pur
sue
d
pur
forward
sue
follow
d
past tense suffix
Etymology
the word 'pursued' is the past tense and past participle of the verb 'pursue'. its core meaning originates from the latin verb 'prosequi', meaning to follow forward or accompany. this term is a compound of the prefix 'pro-' (forward) and the verb 'sequi' (to follow). entering english via anglo-norman french 'pursuer', the spelling was anglicized to 'pursue', preserving the sense of a persistent forward motion in following a target, whether physical or abstract. the addition of the simple past tense suffix '-d' completes the form, marking the action as completed in the past while retaining the fundamental logic of following something with intent.
Analysis
Structure: pur (forward) + sue (follow) + d (past tense suffix)
pur- (from latin 'pro-', meaning forward, forth, for); sue (from latin 'sequi', meaning to follow); -d (old english past tense suffix).
Examples
the detective pursued the suspect through the crowded streets.
she pursued a career in medicine for over a decade.
the government pursued a policy of economic reform.