To Chase Around Meaning
Definition: To search for someone or try to gain information about someone’s whereabouts; to attempt to contact someone.
The phrase to chase around means to look for someone or attempt to acquire information about someone’s whereabouts. It usually does not involve the physical act of chasing someone. The phrase is typically used to express that someone has put a lot of time and effort into trying to locate or contact someone.
A related phrase is chase after someone. This usually takes on a romantic meaning, where someone might figuratively chase after someone.
For example,
Mark: How are you and Sharon doing?
Mike: She is moving to England, so it looks like we are going to break up.
Mark: Well, do you love her?
Mike: Absolutely. She is the nicest girl I have ever met.
Mark: Then chase after her. Don’t let her move to England without you!
Ways to Use To Chase Around
This phrase can be used in two ways. It can either mean to search for someone or to attempt to contact someone. If Jane says she has been chasing around after her son all day, she could mean that she is trying to locate him or that she has made several attempts to contact him.
This phrase doesn’t only deal with people either. It can apply to object, as in the phrase to chase around after something
If someone is chasing around after something, he is trying to locate something. For instance, Joel might say he has been chasing around after the limited edition version of his favorite book for years.
As mentioned above, to chase around after someone should not be confused with to chase after someone. If someone is chasing after someone, he is trying to earn that person’s romantic interest.
Examples of To Chase around after Someone
The sample conversation below illustrates the correct use of this phrase.
Wendy: Is Roger coming to the party?
Hayley: I doubt it. I’ve been chasing around after him all day and haven’t been able to reach him.
Summary
The English phrase to chase around after someone means to attempt to locate or contact someone or gain information about his or her whereabouts.
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