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rabbit Definition

rab·bit (rabit)

noun pl. -·bits or -·bit

  1. any of various swift, burrowing mammals (order Lagomorpha), smaller than most hares and characterized by soft fur, long ears, a stubby tail, and the bearing of naked young
  2. the fur of a rabbit
  3. loosely any hare
  4. Welsh rabbit
  5. Track & Field a runner who, early in the race, sets a fast pace, as to spur on teammates or exhaust a strong competitor

Etymology: ME rabette, young of the cony, prob. < MFr dial. rabotte < MDu robbe, Fl robbe

intransitive verb

  1. to hunt rabbits
  2. Brit., Informal to talk continuously about unimportant matters; ramble: often with on
  3. Informal to depart quickly; escape; flee

rabbit Related Forms
rab·bity (rabi tē) adjective
rabbit Synonyms

rabbit

n.

cony, hare, pika, leveret, lagomorph, lapin (French), Sylvilagus, Lepus (both Latin), bunny, cottontail, Easter bunny; see also animal 2, rodent.

Kinds of rabbits include: jack, cottontail, snowshoe, brush, pygmy, swamp, Angora, Ostend, Polish, Flemish, Siberian, Silver, Normandy, Patagonian; Belgian hare, Arctic hare, European hare, snowshoe hare, Chinchilla hare, tapeti, pika.

rabbit Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • neuter: An experienced vet can neuter rabbits extremely quickly which reduces the risk of problems under anesthetic.
  • vaccinate: How severely any one vaccinated rabbit will be affected is impossible to predict.
  • chase: One day Cujo chases a rabbit into a bolt-hole, a cave inhabited by some very sick bats.
  • catch: They looked like rabbits caught in the headlights of a car, frozen with terror.
  • pull: They have turned to pulling rabbits out of hats.
  • hunt: Origins: European polecat; the ferret was domesticated by the Egyptians and originally bred to hunt rabbits.

Preposition: in

  • headlight: He looked like a scared rabbit in headlights last night.

Adjective modifier

  • pet: Simon Taylor, who is TDC's Product Manager has a garden shed at home which houses two pet rabbits.
  • wild: According to a local all the wild rabbits here are black.
  • lop-eared: Wood pigeons and lop-eared rabbits lazily nibble the plants at the fringes.
  • eared: We also have a Lop eared rabbit called Smudge.
  • scared: He looked like a scared rabbit in headlights last night.
  • unwanted: By using these guidelines we hope petshops can help us reduce the number of unwanted rabbits.

Modifies a noun

  • warren: Wanted to rent, a rabbit warren or a rabbit farm.
  • hutch: The rabbit hutch should be wide enough to allow you rabbit to lie with its legs stretched out at the back.
  • vibrator: Fun Factory Paul and Pauline Blue Rabbit Vibrator One of the best rabbit pearl vibrators you will ever see.
  • burrow: These may be holes among riverside tree roots, outlying badger setts or enlarged rabbit burrows.
  • fur: The majority of fur products appeared to be made from cheap imported rabbit fur from the far east.
  • stew: Rabbit stew or a sheep's head, which would make a tasty soup to last the week, supplemented their diet.

Noun used with modifier

  • bunny: This way you can walk straight into the surgery, maybe avoiding that little bunny rabbit or pussycat.

Browse dictionary entries near rabbit

  1. rabbinism
  2. rabbinical
  3. Rabbinic
  4. rabbinate
  5. rabbin
  6. rabbi
  7. rabbet
  8. Rabbah
  9. rabato
  10. rabat
  1. rabbit ears
  2. rabbit fever
  3. rabbit punch
  4. rabbitry
  5. rabble
  6. rabble-rouser
  7. rabblement
  8. Rabelais
  9. Rabelaisian
  10. Rabi