Rabbit meaning

răb'ĭt
The definition of a rabbit is a small, long eared, stubby tailed mammal with soft fur that bounces and burrows.

An example of a rabbit is the Warner Bros. character Bugs Bunny and the Disney character Thumper.

noun
4
0
Any of various long-eared, short-tailed, burrowing mammals of the family Leporidae, such as the commonly domesticated species Oryctolagus cuniculus, native to Europe and widely introduced elsewhere, or the cottontail of the Americas.
noun
3
0
The fur of a rabbit or hare.
noun
3
0
A hare.
noun
2
0
A racehorse that is run at a fast pace early in a race in order to tire the favorite so that another horse can take the lead.
noun
2
0
Advertisement
A competitor who is designated to set a fast pace for a teammate during a long-distance race.
noun
1
1
A runner who, early in the race, sets a fast pace, as to spur on teammates or exhaust a strong competitor.
noun
0
0
To hunt rabbits.
verb
0
0
To talk continuously about unimportant matters; ramble.
verb
0
0
To depart quickly; escape; flee.
verb
0
0
Advertisement
(intransitive) To hunt rabbits.
verb
0
0
(US, intransitive) To flee.

The informant seemed skittish, as if he was about to rabbit.

verb
0
0
(UK, intransitive) To talk incessantly and in a childish manner; to babble annoyingly.

Stop your infernal rabbiting! Use proper words or nobody will listen to you!

Commonly used in the form "to rabbit on"

verb
0
0
A mechanical decoy that is propelled around the track in a greyhound race to incite the dogs.
noun
0
1
To hunt rabbits or hares.
verb
0
1
Advertisement
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.
noun
0
1
The fur of a rabbit.
noun
0
1
Any hare.
noun
0
1
noun
0
1
A mammal of the family Leporidae, with long ears, long hind legs and a short, fluffy tail.

The pioneers survived by eating the small game they could get; rabbits, squirrels and occasionally a raccoon.

noun
0
1
Advertisement
The fur of a rabbit typically used to imitate another animal's fur.
noun
0
1
A runner in a distance race whose goal is mainly to set the pace, either to tire a specific rival so that a teammate can win or to help another break a record; a pacesetter.
noun
0
1
(cricket) A very poor batsman; selected as a bowler or wicket-keeper.
noun
0
1

Origin of rabbit

From Middle English rabet, from Middle French dialect (compare French dialect rabbotte, rabouillet (“baby rabbit")), from Walloon robète, diminutive of Middle Dutch robbe (“rabbit; seal") (compare Dutch rob (“rabbit"), rob (“seal")), from Middle Low German robbe (“seal") (compare dialectal Low German Rubb, Robb, German Robbe (“seal")), from rubben (“ro rub"). More at rub.

Sentence Examples

  • For the rabbit, it was a bad day.

  • An Antillean rabbit is very abundant.

  • The rabbit tired of her inquisition and hopped away a few steps.

  • The Dean took the rabbit and went out of the house.

  • She put the rabbit back in the cage and closed the door securely.

More sentences →

Words near rabbit in the Dictionary