Pēr'se-cūte, v. t.
v. t. [imp. & p. p. PERSECUTED; p. pr. & vb. n. PERSECUTING.] [Fr. persécuter, It. perseguitare, perseguire, Sp. & Pr. perseguir, Lat. persequi, persecutus, to pursue, prosecute; from prefix per, through, and sequi, to follow, pursue.] 1. To pursue in a manner to injure, vex, or afflict; to cause to suffer pain from hatred or malignity; to harass; to beset in an annoying way.
Sense 2. Especially, to afflict, harass, or punish, for adherence to a particular creed or system of religious principles, or to a mode of worship.
So persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Matt. v. 12.