unpursued

Unpursued is an adjective meaning not pursued; not chased or sought after. It can describe a person, object, goal, or matter that has not been actively pursued by others, whether in a literal pursuit, legal action, or strategic effort. In literary or historical writing, unpursued can convey a sense of passivity or neglect.

Etymology: The term is formed with the negating prefix un- attached to pursued, the past participle of pursue. The verb pursue derives from Old French poursuivre, from Latin persequi, meaning to follow or chase; the noun pursuit is attested in Middle English via Old North French poursuit. The modern sense of not being chased follows directly from the participle usage.

Usage: In narrative contexts, a fugitive may remain unpursued. In administrative or policy language, a particular initiative might be described as unpursued if authorities have not taken steps to implement or advance it. The word is mostly found in formal or literary registers and can appear in both physical and figurative senses.

See also: pursue, pursuit, pursued, pursuer.

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