5 PHRASE If someone cuts to the chase , they start talking about or dealing with what is important, instead of less important things. □ Hi everyone, we all know why we are here today, so let's cut to the chase.
6 VERB To chase someone from a job or a position or from power means to force them to leave it. □ [V n + from/out of ] The army will not allow its commander-in-chief to be chased from power.
7 VERB If you chase somewhere, you run or rush there. □ [V prep/adv] They chased down the stairs into the narrow, dirty street.
8 → see also wild goose chase
9 PHRASE If you give chase , you run after someone or follow them quickly in order to catch them. □ Other officers gave chase but the killers escaped.
10 PHRASE If you talk about the thrill of the chase , you are referring to the excitement that people feel when they are trying hard to get something. □ It's the thrill of the chase, the buzz of the risk, that drives you on.
▸ chase away PHRASAL VERB If someone or something chases away worries, fears, or other bad feelings, they cause those feelings to change and become happier. [WRITTEN ] □ [V P n] Ellery's return will help to chase away some of the gloom.
▸ chase down
1 PHRASAL VERB If you chase someone down , you run after them or follow them quickly and catch them. [mainly AM ] □ [V n P ] Ness chased the thief down and held him until police arrived. □ [V P n] For thousands of years chasing down game was the main activity in which humans were involved.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you chase someone or something down , you manage to find them after searching for them. □ [V n P ] That's when I chased her down to be the singer in my band. □ [V P n] Bank officials argued that it is not their job to chase down every asset of every bank debtor.
▸ chase up
1 PHRASAL VERB If you chase up something that is needed or needs dealing with, you find it or find out what is being done about it. □ [V n P ] When I didn't hear from the suppliers or receive a refund, I chased the matter up. □ [V P n] The authority can chase up the source of the pollution and demand that the owner clean it up.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you chase someone up , you look for them and find them because you want them to do something or give you something. □ [V P n] …the story of a man who comes to Hollywood to chase up a client who has defaulted on a debt. [Also V n P ] COLLOCATIONS chase NOUN 1
noun + chase : car, police
adjective + chase : high-speed
verb + chase : begin, continue, join; abandon, give up
chas|er /tʃe I sə r / (chasers ) N‑COUNT [oft n N ] A chaser is an alcoholic drink that you have after you have drunk a stronger or weaker alcoholic drink. □ …whisky with beer chasers.
chasm /kæ zəm/ (chasms )
1 N‑COUNT A chasm is a very deep crack in rock, earth, or ice.
2 N‑COUNT If you say that there is a chasm between two things or between two groups of people, you mean that there is a very large difference between them. □ …the chasm that divides the worlds of university and industry. □ [+ between ] …the chasm between rich and poor in America.
chas|sis /ʃæ si/ chassis /ʃæ siz/ can also be used as the plural form. N‑COUNT A chassis is the framework that a vehicle is built on.
chaste /tʃe I st/ ADJ If you describe a person or their behaviour as chaste , you mean that they do not have sex with anyone, or they only have sex with their husband or wife. [OLD-FASHIONED ] □ He remained chaste.
chas|ten /tʃe I s ə n/ (chastens , chastening , chastened ) VERB [usu passive] If you are chastened by something, it makes you regret that you have behaved badly or stupidly. [FORMAL ] □ [be V -ed + by ] He has clearly not been chastened by his thirteen days in detention. □ [V -ed] …a chastened England out to prove they are indeed one of the best teams in the world. [Also be V -ed + into ] ● chas|tened ADJ □ The President now seems a more chastened and less confident politician than when he set out a week ago.
chas|ten|ing /tʃe I sən I ŋ/ ADJ A chastening experience makes you regret that you have behaved badly or stupidly. □ From this chastening experience he learnt some useful lessons.
chas|tise /tʃæsta I z/ (chastises , chastising , chastised ) VERB If you chastise someone, you speak to them angrily or punish them for something wrong that they have done. [FORMAL ] □ [V n + for ] Thomas Rane chastised Peters for his cruelty. □ [V n] The Securities Commission chastised the firm but imposed no fine. □ [V pron-refl] I just don't want you to chastise yourself.
chas|tise|ment /tʃæsta I zmənt/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft a N ] Chastisement is the same as punishment. [OLD-FASHIONED ]
chas|tity /tʃæ st I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT Chastity is the state of not having sex with anyone, or of only having sex with your husband or wife. [OLD-FASHIONED ] □ He took a vow of chastity and celibacy.
chat ◆◇◇ /tʃæ t/ (chats , chatting , chatted )
1 VERB When people chat , they talk to each other in an informal and friendly way. □ [V ] The women were chatting. □ [V + to/with ] I was chatting to him the other day. □ [V + about ] We chatted about old times. ● N‑COUNT Chat is also a noun. □ [+ with ] I had a chat with John.