Definition of 'hare'

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hare

(hɛər

)

Word forms: plural hares

variable noun

A hare is an animal like a rabbit but larger with long ears, long legs, and a small tail.

Image of
hare

hare in American English

(hɛr , hær )

nounWord forms: plural hares or hareOrigin: ME < OE hara, akin to Ger hase < IE *k̑as-, gray (hence, lit., the gray animal, euphemism for a taboo name) > L canus, hoary

any of a large group of swift mammals (order Lagomorpha) of the same family (Leporidae) as the rabbits, with long ears, soft fur, a cleft upper lip, a short tail, and long, powerful hind legs: it differs from a rabbit in that it is larger, does not burrow, and has furry, active young

verb intransitiveWord forms: hared, haring

2. British, informal

to run fast or go hurriedly [with off, away, about, etc.]

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hare in American Englishesp collectively

(hɛər) (noun plural hares, hare, verb hared, haring)

noun

any rodentlike mammal of the genus Lepus, of the family Leporidae, having long ears, a divided upper lip, and long hind limbs adapted for leaping

any of the larger species of this genus, as distinguished from certain of the smaller ones known as rabbits

any of various similar animals of the same family

4. (cap) Astronomy

the constellation Lepus

the player pursued in the game of hare and hounds

intransitive verb

6. chiefly Brit

to run fast

Derived forms

harelike

adjective

Word origin

[bef. 900; ME; OE hara; c. Dan hare; akin to G Hase hare, OE hasu gray]

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hare in British English

(hɛə

)

nounWord forms: plural hares or hare

any solitary leporid mammal of the genus Lepus, such as L. europaeus ( European hare). Hares are larger than rabbits, having longer ears and legs, and live in shallow nests (forms)

▶ Related adjective: leporine

2. See make a hare of someone

3. See run with the hare and hunt with the hounds

verb

4. (intr; often foll by off, after, etc) British informal

to go or run fast or wildly

Derived forms

harelike (ˈhareˌlike)

adjective

Word origin

Old English hara; related to Old Norse heri, Old High German haso, Swedish hare, Sanskrit śaśá

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Hare in British English 1

(hɛə

)

noun

Sir David. born 1947, British dramatist and theatre director: his plays include Plenty (1978), Pravda (with Howard Brenton, 1985), The Secret Rapture (1989), Racing Demon (1990), The Permanent Way (2003), and Stuff Happens (2004)

William. 19th century, Irish murderer and bodysnatcher: associate of William Burke

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Hare in British English 2

(hɛə

)

noun

a member of a Dene Native Canadian people of northern Canada

Word origin

of Athapascan origin

Examples of 'hare' in a sentence
hare

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Both a nerveless goalscorer and the hare that made an entire team run behind him.The hare was hanging from a first floor kitchen window.The tale of the tortoise and the hare comes to mind.One of his hare sculptures can be funny and memorable. Green is left with the relatively simple task of haring over the line and touching down.You remember the story of the hare and the tortoise?The hare and the tortoise spring to mind.It's a bit like the tortoise and the hare.My wife is not here today and the reason she is not here today is because I detest hare coursing.They are also found in much of Ireland, where the brown hare is hardly known.