hare

Meanings

Noun

• Any of several plant-eating animals of the family Leporidae, especially of the genus Lepus, similar to a rabbit, but larger and with longer ears.
• The player in a paperchase, or hare and hounds game, who leaves a trail of paper to be followed.

Verb

• To move swiftly.
• To excite; to tease, or worry; to harry.

Adjective

• Grey, hoary; grey-haired, venerable (of people).
• Cold, frosty (of weather).

Related

Similar words

• race
• speed
• tear

Origin

• From Middle English hare, from Old English hara ("hare"), from Proto-West Germanic *hasō, from Proto-Germanic *hasô, from *haswaz, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱeh₂s-
• See also West Frisian hazze, Dutch haas, German Hase, Norwegian and Swedish hare, Icelandic heri), Old English hasu, Middle High German heswe ("pale, dull"); also Welsh cannu ("to whiten"), ceinach, Latin cānus ("white"), cascus, Old Prussian sasnis ("hare"), Pashto سوی ("hare") and Sanskrit शश ("hare").
• From Middle English harren, harien, of uncertain origin. Compare harry, harass.
• From Middle English hore, from Old English hār ("hoar, hoary, grey, old"), from Proto-Germanic *hairaz ("grey"). Cognate with German hehr ("noble, sublime").