jackrabbit

jack·rab·bit

J0004600 (jăk′răb′ĭt)n. or jack rabbit Any of several large, long-eared, long-legged hares of the genus Lepus.intr.v. jack·rab·bit·ed, jack·rab·bit·ing, jack·rab·bits To move or begin to move rapidly or suddenly: "A rear tire blew out and the car jackrabbited out of control" (Sonny Kleinfield).adj. Moving or beginning to move in a sudden, rapid manner: won the race with a jackrabbit start.

[jack(ass) (from its long ears) + rabbit.]

jack′ rab`bit

n. any of various large hares of W North America, having long hind legs and long ears. [1860–65; jack (ass) + rabbit; so named from the size of its ears]

jack•rab•bit

(ˈdʒækˌræb ɪt)

adj. 1. resembling a jack rabbit, as in suddenness or rapidity of movement. v.i. 2. to go or start forward with a rapid, sudden movement. [1925–30]

hare, rabbit, jackrabbit - Hares live in the open and bear young that have fur at birth, while rabbits live in burrows and bear young that are naked at birth; jackrabbits are hares, not rabbits.See also related terms for naked.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	jackrabbit - large hare of western North Americagenus Lepus, Lepus - type genus of the Leporidae: hareshare - swift timid long-eared mammal larger than a rabbit having a divided upper lip and long hind legs; young born furred and with open eyesLepus townsendi, whitetail jackrabbit, white-tailed jackrabbit - largest hare of northern plains and western mountains of United States; brownish-grey in summer and pale grey in winter; tail nearly always all whiteblacktail jackrabbit, Lepus californicus - the common jackrabbit of grasslands and open areas of western United States; has large black-tipped ears and black streak on the tail
Verb	1.	jackrabbit - go forward or start with a fast, sudden movementjump, startle, start - move or jump suddenly, as if in surprise or alarm; "She startled when I walked into the room"

jackrabbit

jackrabbit,

popular name for several hareshare,
name for certain herbivorous mammals of the family Leporidae, which also includes the rabbit and pika. The name is applied especially to species of the genus Lepus, sometimes called the true hares.
..... Click the link for more information. of W North America, characterized by very long legs and ears. Jackrabbits are powerful jumpers and fast runners. In normal progress leaps are alternated with running steps; when pursued the hare runs fast and close to the ground. Jackrabbits are found W of the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River, from S Canada to Central America. They are brownish gray above and white below. The white-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus townsendi) is the most northerly species and ranges from plains to high mountains. It has an entirely white tail, and its coat turns white or light gray in winter. It averages 20 in. (51 cm) in length, with ears 5 to 6 in. (12.7–15.3 cm) long. It is closely related to the varying hare and the arctic hare. The blacktailed jackrabbit (L. californicus) found on the plains and in arid regions from the NW United States to Mexico, is slightly smaller, with longer ears; its tail is black above. The antelope jackrabbit (L. alleni) of Mexico and the extreme SW United States is a large, heavy hare with white sides and ears up to 8 in. (20.3 cm) long. It has been known to leap as high as 5 ft (1.5 m) and as far as 22 ft (6.7 m). Jackrabbits are classified in the phylum ChordataChordata
, phylum of animals having a notochord, or dorsal stiffening rod, as the chief internal skeletal support at some stage of their development. Most chordates are vertebrates (animals with backbones), but the phylum also includes some small marine invertebrate animals.
..... Click the link for more information. , subphylum Vertebrata, class Mammalia, order Lagomorpha, family Leporidae.

jackrabbit

jack·rab·bit

jack′ rab`bit

jack•rab•bit

jackrabbit

jackrabbit,

jackrabbit

Words related to jackrabbit

noun large hare of western North America

Related Words

verb go forward or start with a fast, sudden movement

Related Words