steeplechasing

UK: /ˈstiːplˌtʃeɪsɪŋ/ US: (stē′pəl chā′sing)

From the verb steeplechase: (⇒ conjugate)

steeplechasing is: ⓘ

v pres p

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

stee•ple•chas•ing  (stē′pəl chā′sing), n. 

1. the sport of riding or running in a steeplechase.

• steeplechase + -ing¹

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

stee•ple•chase /ˈstipəlˌtʃeɪs/   n. 

[countable]
1. Sport a horse race over a grass course with artificial ditches, hedges, and other obstacles over which the horses must jump.
2. Sport a foot race run on a cross-country course or over a course with obstacles, such as ditches or hurdles.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

stee•ple•chase  (stē′pəl chās′), n., v., -chased, -chasing. 
n. 

1. Sport a horse race over a turf course furnished with artificial ditches, hedges, and other obstacles over which the horses must jump.
2. Sport a point-to-point race.
3. Sport 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.

v.i. 

4. Sport to ride or run in a steeplechase.

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

stee′ple•chas′er, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

steeplechase / ˈstiːp^əlˌtʃeɪs/ noun

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

verb

1. (intransitive) to take part in a steeplechase

Etymology: 19th Century: so called because it originally took place cross-country, with a church tower serving as a landmark to guide the riders

ˈsteepleˌchasing noun