hare

American  

[hair] / hɛər /

noun

PLURAL

hares

PLURAL

hare

1. 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.

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

3. any of various similar animals of the same family.

4. Astronomy.  Hare, the constellation Lepus.

5. the player pursued in the game of hare and hounds.

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verb (used without object)

hared, haring

1. Chiefly British.  to go, run, or proceed swiftly, suddenly, or impulsively; rush; speed; take off: The young forward instantly spotted the opportunity and hared in to put the ball into the net.

   What if someone came haring around the corner on a moped?

   The young forward instantly spotted the opportunity and hared in to put the ball into the net.

idioms

1. hare off,  to change course or shift one’s attention suddenly or impulsively; veer off (often followed byafter ).

   Adhering to a challenging summer book list will keep me from haring off after every new beach read that catches my eye.

hare ¹ British  

/ hɛə /

noun

1. 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)

2. informal  to defeat someone completely

3. to be on good terms with both sides

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verb

1. informal  (intr; often foll by off, after, etc) to go or run fast or wildly

Hare ² British  

/ hɛə /

noun

1. 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)

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

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Hare ³ British  

/ hɛə /

noun

1. a member of a Dene Native Canadian people of northern Canada

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hare More Idioms  

1. see mad as a hatter (March hare); run with (the hare).

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Usage

What’s the difference between hares and rabbits? Hares and rabbits are both rodentlike mammals in the Leporidae family, but they’re two different species.They look similar, with long ears and large hind legs that make them great jumpers and fast runners.One main difference is that hares are bigger than rabbits.They also appear much differently at birth. Hares are born furry, open-eyed, and ready to run. Rabbits, however, are born without fur and are unable to see at first. To protect their helpless kits or kittens (you can call them bunnies but that’s not a technical term), rabbits dig underground burrows. Hares, on the other hand, build shallow nests in the grass.So, the bigger it is, the more likely it is to be a hare. If it has a burrow underground, it’s a rabbit.Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between hares and rabbits.

Other Word Forms

• harelike adjective

Etymology

Origin of hare

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English hara; cognate with Danish hare; akin to German Hase “hare,” Old English hasu “gray”

Example Sentences

A golden hare that sparked a treasure hunt has sold at auction for a hammer price of £82,550.

From BBC

As Apple plays the tortoise role—slow and steady wins the race—the sprint between the two hares is what’s captivating investors.

From Barron's

At 7 inches tall, this hare pitcher, hand painted one strand of fur at a time, is so lifelike it nearly twitches its nose.

From The Wall Street Journal

These comparisons show that the Neanderthal diet in these regions relied heavily on deer, horses and hares, along with marine and coastal foods, pointing to a wide-ranging and adaptable approach to gathering resources.

From Science Daily

"We have seen hares here now, which we never had a year or two ago, before we started doing this. So it's really exciting..."

From BBC