What does persecute mean?

Definitions for persecute
ˈpɜr sɪˌkyutper·se·cute

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word persecute.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. persecute, oppressverb

    cause to suffer

    "Jews were persecuted in the former Soviet Union"

Wiktionary

  1. persecuteverb

    To pursue in a manner to injure, grieve, or afflict; to beset with cruelty or malignity; to harass; especially, to afflict, harass, punish, or put to death for one's race, sexual identity, adherence to a particular religious creed, or mode of worship.

    "Do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." Matt. 5:44.

  2. persecuteverb

    To harass with importunity; to pursue with persistent solicitations; to annoy.

  3. Etymology: From persécuter, from persequor, from (English sequel). Compare prosecute.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. To PERSECUTEverb

    Etymology: persecuter, Fr. persecutus, Lat.

    I persecuted this way unto the death. Acts xxii. 4.

    They might have fallen down, being persecuted of vengeance, and scattered abroad. Wisdom xi. 20.

    Relate,
    For what offence the queen of heav’n began
    To persecute so brave, so just a man! Dryden.

Wikipedia

  1. persecute

    Persecution is the systematic mistreatment of an individual or group by another individual or group. The most common forms are religious persecution, racism, and political persecution, though there is naturally some overlap between these terms. The inflicting of suffering, harassment, imprisonment, internment, fear or pain are all factors that may establish persecution, but not all suffering will necessarily establish persecution. The threshold of severity has been a source of much debate.

ChatGPT

  1. persecute

    Persecute means to subject someone to hostility, harm, or punishment, often due to their race, religion, nationality, political beliefs, or personal characteristics. It involves constant harassment, oppression, or ill-treatment over an extended period of time.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Persecuteverb

    to pursue in a manner to injure, grieve, or afflict; to beset with cruelty or malignity; to harass; especially, to afflict, harass, punish, or put to death, for adherence to a particular religious creed or mode of worship

  2. Persecuteverb

    to harass with importunity; to pursue with persistent solicitations; to annoy

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Persecute

    pėr′se-kūt, v.t. to pursue so as to injure or annoy: to follow after persistently: to annoy or punish, esp. for religious or political opinions.—ns. Persecū′tion, act or practice of persecuting: state of being persecuted: a time of general oppression on account of religious opinions; Per′secūtor:—fem. Per′secūtrix. [Fr.,—L. persequi, persecutusper, thoroughly, sequi, to follow.]

How to pronounce persecute?

How to say persecute in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of persecute in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of persecute in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Examples of persecute in a Sentence

  1. Ralph Waldo Emerson:

    Universities are of course hostile to geniuses, which, seeing and using ways of their own, discredit the routine as churches and monasteries persecute youthful saints.

  2. Edmund Burke:

    In doing good, we are generally cold, and languid, and sluggish; and of all things afraid of being too much in the right. But the works of malice and injustice are quite in another style. They are finished with a bold, masterly hand; touched as they are with the spirit of those vehement passions that call forth all our energies, whenever we oppress and persecute.

  3. Ibrahim Hooper:

    This is way beyond the pale, this is basically a call to persecute a religious minority based on nothing other than their faith.

  4. Luz Palmas Zaldua:

    It determines not only that state terrorism in Argentina was an criminal conspiracy but that it was coordinated with other dictatorships, they got together to maximize efforts to persecute political opponents of each of the dictatorships, and to 'disappear' or eliminate those who were considered subversive.

  5. Benjamin Weingarten:

    That House Democrats' final act in the majority was to strike one last blow in their relentless war against Donald Trump — in the process running roughshod over the very norms and institutions they so claim to cherish — marks a fitting end to their progressive rule, and tells you all you need to know about their priorities and posture as they lose their grip on power, this was of a piece with the Soviet show trial-style January 6th Committee that recently reached its unceremonious conclusion, the primary purpose of which was never to unearth truth or hold people to account, but to politically persecute political foes declared guilty at the outset while the Biden Justice Department does the Democrats' legal bidding in criminalizing its political opponents.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

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Translations for persecute

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"persecute." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Apr. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/persecute>.

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