[f. CHASE v.1]
1. Pursuing, hunting, etc.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, VII. 83. With his men … That litill sped in thair chassing.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 68. Chacynge awey, fugacio.
1808. Scott, Y. Lochinvar. There was racing, and chasing, on Cannobie Lee.
1857. Hughes, Tom Brown, viii. 194. The house was filled with constant chasings.
b. attrib. or Comb., as † chasing spear, staff.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 1823. With a chasynge [printed chasynye] spere he choppes doune many.
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. 464. The chasing staues and bore-speares were of siluer.
1768. Ann. Reg., 49/2. Charging the boar with his chacing staff.
2. Short for STEEPLE-CHASING.
1886. Pall Mall Gaz., 8 Sept., 9/2. Captain Quinn dealt largely in horses, and was a constant participator in both racing and chasing.
3. Mining. (See quot.)
1881. Raymond, Mining Gloss., Chacing, following a vein by its range or direction.
4. Dancing. = CHASSÉ.
1775. Sheridan, Rivals, III. iv. My balancing, and chasing.
5. Workmen’s slang.
1884. Rae, Cont. Socialism, 361. This is shown … in their prohibition of ‘chasing’ … i. e. of a workman exceeding a given average standard of production.
