hare

noun

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\ ˈher

plural hare or hares

Definition of hare

(Entry 1 of 2)

: any of various swift, gnawing, herbivorous, usually shy lagomorph mammals (family Leporidae and especially genus Lepus) that have long ears, short tails, and powerful long hind legs, are usually solitary or sometimes live in pairs, have the young open-eyed and furred at birth, and live in aboveground nests — compare rabbit sense 1a

hare

verb

hared; haring

Definition of hare (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

: to go swiftly : tear entry 1 hare off down the road

Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about hare

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Did You Know?

Verb

No doubt you've heard Aesop's fable about the speedy hare and the plodding tortoise. The hare may have lost that race due to a tactical error (stopping to take a nap before reaching the finish line), but the long-eared mammal's overall reputation for swiftness remains intact. It's no surprise, then, that hare is used as a verb meaning "to move quickly." The noun hare (which refers, in its most specific zoological sense, to a member of the genus Lepus, whose young are usually able to hop a few minutes after birth) is a very old word. It first appeared as hara in a Latin-Old English glossary around the year 700. The verb was in use by the end of the 19th century, and people have been "haring off" and "haring about" ever since.

Examples of hare in a Sentence

Verb He came haring round the corner at top speed. she's always haring off to attend to some emergency

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Joseph Beuys conceived of lectures as performances, explaining artworks to a dead hare in a famous 1965 piece. — New York Times, "Can Jeff Koons Teach Me to Paint?," 27 Dec. 2020 In contrast to the hare specialist, coyotes seem to weather prey scarcities better than most. — John Schandelmeier, Anchorage Daily News, "Alaska’s hard-core predators don’t have it as easy as you may think," 20 Dec. 2020 Someone returned a stuffed hare on Tuesday that had been stolen from an Indiana restaurant last week, Fox 59 in Indianapolis reported. — James Leggate, Fox News, "Indiana restaurant's missing mascot returned after 'drunken mistake'," 10 Dec. 2020 It’s the tortoise and the hare—two species that both evolved for locomotion: one for sprinting, the other for endurance. — Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, "This Ultra-Runner Is on a Quest to Persistence-Hunt a Pronghorn," 23 Nov. 2020 It’s the tortoise and the hare—two species that both evolved for locomotion: one for sprinting, the other for endurance. — Popular Science, "Can a hunter outrun an antelope? This ultra-marathoner is finding out.," 23 Nov. 2020 As his feud with Fox News has intensified—and as his pathetic attempt to overturn a legitimate election becomes more hare-brained—Donald Trump has drifted further and further into the fringes. — Alex Shephard, The New Republic, "Barack Obama, Media Critic," 17 Nov. 2020 Might be asking a lot for a 324-pound guy to run down Russell Wilson, like an elephant chasing a hare, but this would be a good time for Kinlaw to raise his visibility. — Scott Ostler, SFChronicle.com, "What’s Pete Carroll chewing? And other burning questions," 1 Nov. 2020 Only one other mammal is known to exhibit this behavior: the European brown hare (Lepus europeaus), which can conceive about four days before delivering a litter. — Katherine J. Wu, Smithsonian Magazine, "Swamp Wallabies Can Get Pregnant While Pregnant," 2 Mar. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Karius looked stricken as the game ticked through its final minutes, as Cristiano Ronaldo hared around, desperately searching for the goal that would allow him his moment in the spotlight. — Rory Smith, New York Times, "Real Madrid Beats Liverpool in Champions League Final on a Wonder and Two Blunders," 27 May 2018 Sadio Mane intercepted a stray pass on the edge of his area, before playing a through ball between two defenders to set Mohamed Salah haring down the line. — Matias Grez, CNN, "Liverpool stun Manchester City to take commanding lead in Champions League tie," 4 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hare.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.