Search

[chev-ee] /ˈtʃɛv i/ British

verb (used with object), chevied, chevying.
1.
to chase; run after.
2.
to harass; nag; torment.
verb (used without object), chevied, chevying.
3.
to race; scamper.
noun, plural chevies.
4.
a hunting cry.
5.
a hunt, chase, or pursuit.
6.
the game of prisoner’s base.
[chiv-ee] /ˈtʃɪv i/
verb (used with or without object), chivvied, chivvying, noun, plural chivvies.
1.
.
/ˈtʃɪvɪ/
verb chivies, chivying, chivied, chivvies, chivvying, chivvied, chevies, chevying, chevied
1.
(transitive) to harass or nag
2.
(transitive) to hunt
3.
(intransitive) to run about
noun (pl) chivies, chivvies, chevies
4.
a hunt
5.
(obsolete) a hunting cry
/ˈtʃɛvɪ/
noun, verb
1.
a variant of chivy
v.

“harass,” 1918, from alternative form of chevy (1830) “to chase,” from a noun chevy (1824, also used as a hunting cry, c.1785), from chevy chase “a running pursuit,” probably from the “Ballad of Chevy Chase,” popular song from 15c. describing a hunting party on the borderland that turned into a battle between the English and the Scots (the incident probably late 14c.). The place is probably originally Cheviot Chase.

The old song of Chevy-Chase is the favourite ballad of the common people of England, and Ben Jonson used to say, he had rather have been the author of it than of all his works. [Addison, “spectator” No. 70, May 21, 1711]

n.

by 1938, popular form of Chevrolet, U.S. automobile brand, which was founded by Louis Chevrolet and William Durant in 1911; acquired by General Motors in 1917.

Related Terms

chivvy

noun

A Chevrolet car (1930+)

verb

To harry and annoy; badger; bug, hassle

[1821+; perhaps fr Chevy Chase, site of a skirmish between the English and the Scots, which came to mean ”a running pursuit” in Yorkshire dialect; chivy came to mean ”pursue”]