See Three R's.
Rabbit, subs. (old).—1. A term of contempt: hence rabbit-sucker (i.e., a sucking rabbit) = an innocent fool; 'Young Unthrifts taking up Goods upon Tick at excessive Rates.'—B. E. (c.1696); Grose (1785). Cf. Poet-sucker.
1598. Shakspeare, 1 Henry IV., ii. 4. Hang me up by the heels for a rabbit-sucker. Ibid., 2 Hen. IV., ii. 2. Away you whoreson, upright rabbit, away!
1609. Dekker, Lanthorne and Candlelight [Grosart, Wks. (1886), iii. 233]. This hearbe being chewd downe by the Rabbit-suckers almost kils their hearts, and is worse to them than nabbing on the neckes to Connies.
2. (old).—A wooden drinking can: also rabit.—B. E. (c.1696); Grose (1785).
1697. Praise of Yorkshire Ale, 1. Strong beer in rabits and cheating penny cans, Three pipes for two-pence and such like trepans.
3. (American).—A rowdy: also Dead-rabbit and Dead-duck. [A gang of roughs paraded New York in 1848, carrying dead rabbits and ducks as emblems of victory.]
4. (political).—See quot.
1866. House of Commons Election Commission [Report]. Out of £50 . . . he had paid a number of rooks and RABBITS. . . . In general it was stated that "the rabbits were to work in the burrow and the rooks to make a noise at the public meetings."
5. (racing).—See quot. and In and Out.
1882. Standard, 3 Sep. Milan, though somewhat of a rabbit, as a horse that runs 'in and out' is sometimes called.
6. (old).—A new-born babe. Whence rabbit-catcher = a midwife.—Grose (1785).
Verb. (old).—Usually as intj. = Confound it! Also odsrab-*bit! and drabbit! cf. drat = God rot it! [Od, 'd = God + rabbit = rot it!]
1742. Fielding, Joseph Andrews. 'Rabbit the fellow!' cries he.
1748. Smollett, Roa. Random, xviii. Rabbit it! I have forgot the degree.
Live rabbit, subs. phr. (venery).—The penis: see Prick: also rabbit-pie = a whore: see Tart. Whence to skin the live rabbit (or have a bit of rabbit-pie) = to copulate : see Greens and Ride.
Phrases.—To buy the rabbit = to get the worst of a bargain; fat and lean, like a rabbit (see quot. 1708-10); to go rabbit-hunting with a dead ferret = to undertake a business with improper or useless means (Ray, 1760): also see Welsh-Rabbit.
