Phrasal verb
chase up
Definition
phrasal verb. to contact someone to ask for information or a result that they have not given you yet.
phrasal verb. to pursue a person or organization to ensure that a pending task is completed or that overdue information is provided.
Examples
“I need to chase up that late payment.”
“If the supplier doesn't email you by noon, you should chase them up to see what happened.”
“The administrative assistant spent the entire afternoon chasing up outstanding invoices from several clients who had exceeded their credit terms.”
Examples
simple
“I need to chase up that late payment.”
contextual
“If the supplier doesn't email you by noon, you should chase them up to see what happened.”
complex
“The administrative assistant spent the entire afternoon chasing up outstanding invoices from several clients who had exceeded their credit terms.”
Usage
commonly used in professional or office contexts regarding tasks, emails, or payments.
Teaching tip
this is a common British English expression; in American English, 'follow up on' is the more frequent equivalent.
Pitfall
I will chase up to him.
I will chase him up.
the person or thing being chased is the direct object; do not use 'to' after the phrase.
Phrasal verb
Particles
up
Separability
optional
Pattern
chase + (object) + up
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/chase-up