steeplechase

[ stee-puh l-cheys ]
/ ˈsti pəlˌtʃeɪs /

noun

a horse race over a turf course furnished with artificial ditches, hedges, and other obstacles over which the horses must jump.
a point-to-point race.
a foot race run on a cross-country course or over a course having obstacles, as ditches, hurdles, or the like, which the runners must clear.

verb (used without object), stee·ple·chased, stee·ple·chasing.

to ride or run in a steeplechase.

Origin of steeplechase

1795–1805; steeple + chase1; so called because the course was kept by sighting a church steeple

OTHER WORDS FROM steeplechase

stee·ple·chas·er, noun

Words nearby steeplechase

steep, steepen, steeple, steeple cup, steeplebush, steeplechase, steeplechaser, steeplechasing, steeplejack, steer, steer clear of

Example sentences from the Web for steeplechaser

British Dictionary definitions for steeplechaser (1 of 2)

steeplechaser
/ (ˈstiːpəlˌtʃeɪsə) /

noun

a horse or an athlete that takes part in steeplechases

British Dictionary definitions for steeplechaser (2 of 2)

steeplechase
/ (ˈstiːpəlˌtʃeɪs) /

noun

a horse race over a course equipped with obstacles to be jumped, esp artificial hedges, ditches, water jumps, etc
a track race, usually of 3000 metres, in which the runners have to leap hurdles, a water jump, etc
archaic
  1. a horse race across a stretch of open countryside including obstacles to be jumped
  2. a rare word for point-to-point

verb

(intr) to take part in a steeplechase

Derived forms of steeplechase

steeplechasing, noun

Word Origin for steeplechase

C19: so called because it originally took place cross-country, with a church tower serving as a landmark to guide the riders