Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense rabbits, present participle rabbiting, past tense, past participle rabbited
countable noun
A rabbit is a small furry animal with long ears. Rabbits are sometimes kept as pets, or live wild in holes in the ground.
Rabbit is the flesh of this animal eaten as food.
...rabbit stew.
Phrasal verbs:
See rabbit on
More Synonyms of rabbit
rabbit in British English
(ˈræbɪt)
nounWord forms: plural-bits or -bit
1.
any of various common gregarious burrowing leporid mammals, esp Oryctolagus cuniculus of Europe and North Africa and the cottontail of America. They are closely related and similar to hares but are smaller and have shorter ears
2.
the fur of such an animal
3. British informal
a novice or poor performer at a game or sport
verb
4. (intransitive)
to hunt or shoot rabbits
5. (intr; often foll by on or away) British informal
to talk inconsequentially; chatter
Word origin
(senses 1-4) C14: perhaps from Walloon robett, diminutive of Flemish robbe rabbit, of obscure origin
Word origin
(sense 5) C20: from rhyming slang rabbit and pork talk
rabbit in American English
(ˈræbɪt)
nounWord forms: pluralˈrabbits or ˈrabbit
1.
any of various swift, burrowing mammals (order Lagomorpha), smaller than most hares and characterizedby soft fur, long ears, a stubby tail, and the bearing of naked young
see also hare
2.
the fur of a rabbit
3. Loosely
any hare
4.
Welsh rabbit
5. Athletics
a runner who, early in the race, sets a fast pace, as to spur on teammates or exhaust a strong competitor
verb intransitive
6.
to hunt rabbits
7. British, Informal
to talk continuously about unimportant matters; ramble
often with on
8. Informal
to depart quickly; escape; flee
Derived forms
rabbity (ˈrabbity) (ˈræbɪti)
adjective
Word origin
ME rabette, young of the cony, prob. < MFr dial. rabotte < MDu robbe, Fl robbe
He explained they were commonly used for hunting squirrels, rabbits and other small animals.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
But perhaps you just feel sorry for the poor rabbit.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
He learned to hunt rabbits with the help of a ferret.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
But why not bring back rabbit fur?
The Sun (2014)
He claimed he bought the rabbit meat at a store.
The Sun (2015)
They snared rabbits for food and skins with which to sew caps and cloaks.
Max Hastings Nemesis: The Battle for Japan, 194445 (2007)
We must catch the rabbit if we want to eat.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
One owner in three thinks rabbits live for no more than five years.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
He made rabbit liver and kidney on toast followed by a rabbit stew.
The Sun (2011)
Animals from rabbits to cattle eat them.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
This year my garden has become overrun with wild rabbits from the field next door.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
There may yet be scope for a small rabbit from the hat.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Young squirrel is better than rabbit or chicken.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
It is still legal to use dogs to catch rats and rabbits.
The Sun (2015)
He also liked to hunt rabbits with a ferret, which was against the law.
Randolph, Theron G. & Moss, Ralph W. (contributor) An Alternative Approach to Allergies (1990)
When the rice turns translucent, pull the meat off the rabbit and add to the risotto.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Yet not so long ago, kale was considered below rabbit food.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
I have felt like one of those poor rabbits when the snake is writhing towards it.
Arthur Conan Doyle The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1892)
I like to use a hat that combines rabbit fur with fabric.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Word lists with
rabbit
homes and habitations, male animals, female animals
In other languages
rabbit
British English: rabbit /ˈræbɪt/ NOUN
A rabbit is a small furry animal with long ears which is often kept as a pet.
American English: rabbit
Arabic: أَرْنَب
Brazilian Portuguese: coelho
Chinese: 兔子
Croatian: kunić
Czech: králík
Danish: kanin
Dutch: konijn
European Spanish: conejo
Finnish: kaniini
French: lapin
German: Kaninchen
Greek: κουνέλι
Italian: coniglio
Japanese: ウサギ
Korean: 토끼
Norwegian: kanin
Polish: królik
European Portuguese: coelho
Romanian: iepure
Russian: кролик
Latin American Spanish: conejo
Swedish: kanin
Thai: กระต่าย
Turkish: tavşan
Ukrainian: кролик
Vietnamese: con thỏ
All related terms of 'rabbit'
rabbit on
If you describe someone as rabbiting on , you do not like the way they keep talking for a long time about something that is not very interesting .
buck rabbit
Welsh rabbit with either an egg or a piece of toast on top
jack rabbit
any of various W North American hares , such as Lepus townsendi ( white-tailed jack rabbit ), having long hind legs and large ears
rabbit ears
an indoor television antenna , consisting of two adjustable rods that swivel apart at a V -shaped angle
rabbit food
food formulated for feeding rabbits , esp pet rabbits
rabbit hole
a hole in the ground dug by wild rabbits and leading to a warren
rock rabbit
→ hyrax
Angora rabbit
a breed of rabbit with long usually white silky hair
bunny rabbit
rabbit
rabbit burrow
a hole in the ground dug by wild rabbits and leading to a warren
rabbit fever
→ tularemia
rabbit hutch
a cage , usually of wood and wire mesh , for keeping domestic or pet rabbits in
rabbit killer
a sharp blow to the back of the neck that can cause loss of consciousness or even death
rabbit punch
a sharp blow to the back of the neck that can cause loss of consciousness or even death
rabbit warren
a series of interconnected underground tunnels in which rabbits live
Welsh rabbit
a savoury dish consisting of melted cheese sometimes mixed with milk, seasonings , etc, on hot buttered toast
white rabbit
a person who is in a hurry and complaining of being late, like the White Rabbit character in the children's story 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland ' by Lewis Carroll
rabbit bandicoot
a burrowing marsupial of the genus Macrotis of Australia having long pointed ears and grey fur
rabbit's foot
the hind foot of a rabbit , used superstitiously as a talisman or good-luck charm
rabbit-proof fence
a fence through which rabbits are unable to pass
hyraces
any agile herbivorous mammal of the family Procaviidae and order Hyracoidea, of Africa and SW Asia, such as Procavia capensis ( rock hyrax ). They resemble rodents but have feet with hooflike toes
angora
An angora goat or rabbit is a particular breed that has long silky hair.
snowshoe hare
a N North American hare , Lepus americanus, having brown fur in summer , white fur in winter , and heavily furred feet
pull a rabbit out of the hat
to unexpectedly do something which solves a problem or helps you to achieve something
tularaemia
an acute infectious bacterial disease of rodents , transmitted to humans by infected ticks or flies or by handling contaminated flesh. It is characterized by fever , chills , and inflammation of the lymph glands
bilbies
a burrowing marsupial of the genus Macrotis of Australia having long pointed ears and grey fur
bilby
a burrowing marsupial of the genus Macrotis of Australia having long pointed ears and grey fur
dalgyte
a burrowing marsupial of the genus Macrotis of Australia having long pointed ears and grey fur
someone is like a rabbit caught in the headlights
said to mean that someone is so frightened or nervous that they do not know what to do