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Webster 1913 Edition

Rabbit

Rab′bit

(răb′bĭt)
,
Noun.
[OE.
rabet
, akin to OD.
robbe
,
robbeken
.]
(Zool.)
Any of the smaller species of the genus Lepus, especially the common European species (
Lepus cuniculus
), which is often kept as a pet, and has been introduced into many countries. It is remarkably prolific, and has become a pest in some parts of Australia and New Zealand.
☞ The common American rabbit (
Lepus sylvatica
) is similar but smaller. See
Cottontail
, and
Jack rabbit
, under 2d
Jack
. The larger species of Lepus are commonly called hares. See
Hare
.
Angora rabbit
(Zool.)
,
a variety of the domestic rabbit having long, soft fur.
–
Rabbit burrow
,
a hole in the earth made by rabbits for shelter and habitation.
–
Rabbit fish
.
(Zool.)
(a)
The northern chimaera (
Chimaera monstrosa
)
.
(b)
Any one of several species of plectognath fishes, as the bur fish, and puffer. The term is also locally applied to other fishes.
–
Rabbits’ ears
.
(Bot.)
See
Cyclamen
.
–
Rabbit warren
,
a piece of ground appropriated to the breeding and preservation of rabbits.
Wright.
–
Rock rabbit
.
(a)
(Zool.)
See
Daman
, and
Klipdas
.
(b)
the
pika
.
–
Welsh rabbit
,
a dish of which the chief constituents are melted cheese over toasted bread, flavored in various ways, as with ale, beer, milk, or spices. The name is popularly said to be a corruption of
Welsh rare bit
, but it is probably merely a humorous designation; – also called
Welsh rarebit
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Rabbit

RAB'BIT

, n.
A small quadruped of the genus Lepus, which feeds on grass or other herbage, and burrows in the earth. The rabbit is said to be less sagacious than the hare. It is a very prolific animal, and is kept in warrens for the sake of its flesh.

Definition 2024

Rabbit

Rabbit

See also: rabbit

English

Proper noun

Rabbit

  1. The fourth of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar.

rabbit

rabbit

See also: Rabbit

English

A rabbit (sense 1).

Noun

rabbit ‎(plural rabbits)

  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.‎
    • 1879, Richard Jefferies, The Amateur Poacher, chapterII:
      Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out. Indeed, a nail filed sharp is not of much avail as an arrowhead; you must have it barbed, and that was a little beyond our skill.
  2. The fur of a rabbit typically used to imitate another animal's fur.
  3. 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.
  4. (cricket) A very poor batsman; selected as a bowler or wicket-keeper.
  5. (computing theory) A large element at the beginning of a list of items to be bubble sorted, and thus tending to be quickly swapped into its correct position. Compare turtle.
Synonyms

(animal):

Derived terms
Translations

Verb

rabbit ‎(third-person singular simple present rabbits, present participle rabbitting or rabbiting, simple past and past participle rabbitted or rabbited)

  1. (intransitive) To hunt rabbits.
  2. (US, intransitive) To flee.
    The informant seemed skittish, as if he was about to rabbit.
Synonyms
Translations

See also

Etymology 2

From Cockney rhyming slang rabbit and pork, to talk.

Verb

rabbit ‎(third-person singular simple present rabbits, present participle rabbiting, simple past and past participle rabbited)

  1. (Britain, 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"
Synonyms
  • (to talk incessantly and childishly): babble, blather, prattle, Wikisaurus:chatter, Wikisaurus:talk
Translations

See also

Hungarian

Etymology

rabbi +‎ -t

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [ˈrɒbːit]
  • Hyphenation: rab‧bit

Noun

rabbit

  1. accusative singular of rabbi

Etymology

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 ‎(“to rub”). More at rub.

Pronunciation

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