acharner
to set upon relentlessly
verb ah-shar-NEH Rare
Origin: Old French char (flesh) — originally of hounds tasting blood
Usage Note
Acharner is almost always used reflexively: s'acharner sur/contre quelqu'un means 'to hound someone relentlessly' or 'to keep hammering away at'. S'acharner à faire quelque chose means 'to persist doggedly in doing something'. The adjective acharné describes fierce, relentless effort — une lutte acharnée (a fierce struggle).
Examples
"Il s'acharne sur ce problème depuis des heures."
Natural Translation
He has been hammering away at this problem for hours.
Literal Translation
He sets upon this problem relentlessly for hours.
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