This is the 11075th most frequent Russian word.
гнался
"Гнался" means "chased" or "was chasing."
In this sentence, 'гнался' expresses the action of chasing after something.
Мальчик гнался за мячом по полю.
The boy was chasing the ball across the field.
'Гнался' here is used metaphorically to indicate pursuing intangible goals or aspirations.
Он гнался за мечтами всю свою жизнь.
He chased after his dreams throughout his life.
The term 'гнался' is used here to describe someone moving away quickly, implying a situation of escape or evasion.