Rabbit

Pronunciation

• UK enPR: răb'it, IPA: /ˈræbɪt/
• Rhymes: -æbɪt
• Australia enPR: răb'É™t, IPA: /ˈræbÉ™t/
• Homophones: rabbet

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.

Full definition of rabbit

Noun

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.
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.

Synonyms

• bunny (hypocoristic, colloquial, pet name)
• bunny rabbit (hypocoristic, colloquial, pet name)
• coney, cony (dialect)

Derived terms

Verb

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

Synonyms

• to flee: run off, scamper, bolt

From Cockney rhyming slang rabbit and pork, to talk.

Verb

1. (British, 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, ,