The pursuit of game

chase, sporting, shooting, coursing; lion hunt, tiger hunt, fox hunt, deer hunt, duck hunt, etc.; tracking, hawking, steeplechase, venery, battue (French), course, race, angling, fishing, game, gunning, pursuit, field sport, riding to hounds, piscation, beagling, piscatology; see also hunting, sport 3.

A search

investigation, probe, inquiry, raid, quest, pursuit, exploration, research, sifting, seeking, pursuance, hounding, prosecution, trailing, inquisition, scrutiny, inquest, study, interrogation, prying, meddling, tracing, snooping, research, rummage, following, pursuing, reconnaissance, look-see*, frisking*; see also examination 1.

To pursue with intent to kill

follow, chase, give chase, stalk, hound, trail, dog, seek, capture, kill, shoot, press on, track, heel, shadow, chase after, hunt out, ride to hounds, snare, look for, fish, run, ride, drive, fish for, hawk, poach, grouse, ferret, drag, course, start game, beagle*, gun for*, go gunning for*; see also pursue 1.

To try to find

investigate, seek for, sift, winnow, drag, probe, fish out, fish for, look for, be on the lookout for, go after, trail, cast about, ransack, trace, ferret out, spoor, inquire, hunt for, hunt out, search for, search out, grope in the dark, leave no stone unturned, delve for, scour, prowl after, examine, interrogate, question, catechise, nose around*, rummage*; see also seek 1.