To institute legal proceedings against someone; to seek justice or compensation through the courts.
From Old French sivre/suir meaning 'to follow', from Latin sequi meaning 'to follow'. Originally meant to pursue or follow someone, later specifically to pursue through legal means.
The evolution from 'follow' to 'legally pursue' perfectly captures the nature of litigation - it's literally following someone into court to seek resolution. This word shows how legal language often preserves older, more physical meanings of pursuing and chasing.
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