chivy

chiv·vy

or chiv·y  (chĭv′ē)

v. chiv·vied, chiv·vy·ing, chiv·vies or chiv·ied or chiv·y·ing or chiv·ies

v.tr.

1. To vex or harass with petty attacks: political opponents who chivvied the senator.

2. To maneuver or secure gradually: "had spent two weeks chivvying this division toward combat readiness" (Tom Clancy).

v.intr.

To scurry.

n. pl. chiv·vies or chiv·ies

1. A hunt or chase.

2. A hunting cry.

---

[Variant of chevy, a hunt, hunting cry, from Chevy Chase, title of a ballad about a border skirmish, from Cheviot Chase, a large unenclosed hunting tract in the Cheviot Hills.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

chivy

(ˈtʃɪvɪ) or

chivvy

;

chevy

vb, chivies, chivying, chivied, chivvies, chivvying, chivvied, chevies, chevying or chevied

1. (tr) to harass or nag

2. (tr) to hunt

3. (intr) to run about

n, pl chivies, chivvies or chevies

4. (Hunting) a hunt

5. (Hunting) obsolete a hunting cry

[C19: variant of chevy, probably from Chevy Chase, title of a Scottish border ballad]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

chivy

Past participle: chivied
Gerund: chivying

Imperative

chivy

chivy

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Thesaurus

Verb

1.

chivy - annoy continually or chronically; "He is known to harry his staff when he is overworked"; "This man harasses his female co-workers" beset, chevvy, chevy, chivvy, harass, harry, hassle, molest, plague, provoke needle, goad - goad or provoke,as by constant criticism; "He needled her with his sarcastic remarks" annoy, devil, gravel, irritate, nark, rile, vex, nettle, rag, bother, chafe, get at, get to - cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations; "Mosquitoes buzzing in my ear really bothers me"; "It irritates me that she never closes the door after she leaves" bedevil, dun, rag, torment, frustrate, crucify - treat cruelly; "The children tormented the stuttering teacher" haze - harass by imposing humiliating or painful tasks, as in military institutions

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.