persecute
verb [often passive]Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they persecute | |
| he / she / it persecutes | |
| past simple persecuted | |
| past participle persecuted | |
| -ing form persecuting |
- persecute somebody (for something)
to treat somebody in a cruel and unfair way, especially because of their race, religion or political beliefs （因种族、宗教或政治信仰）迫害，残害，压迫 Throughout history, people have been persecuted for their religious beliefs. 人们因宗教信仰而受迫害的情况贯穿了整个历史。 persecuted minorities 被迫害的少数群体
- persecute somebody
to deliberately annoy somebody all the time and make their life unpleasant 骚扰；打扰；为…找麻烦
Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French persecuter, from Latin persecut- ‘followed with hostility’, from the verb persequi, from per- ‘through, utterly’ + sequi ‘follow, pursue’.