# chase down

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/chase-down
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to follow or hunt for someone or something until you finally catch them or find what you need.

For teachers: to pursue a person or object persistently until capture or location is achieved; often used metaphorically for tracking down information or documents.

## Examples

- I need to chase down my boss to sign this form.
- The police managed to chase down the suspect after a brief pursuit through the park.
- Journalists spent months trying to chase down the original source of the leaked documents to verify their authenticity.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I chased down to him." but "I chased him down." — this phrasal verb is transitive and does not take the preposition 'to' before the object.

## Usage notes

- commonly used with physical targets like people or abstract targets like information and signatures.
- Teaching tip: highlight the nuance of persistence; unlike 'chase', 'chase down' implies a successful conclusion where the object is finally reached or obtained.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.