Hare

verb. (old).—To dodge; to double; to bewilder.

  1672.  MARVELL, The Rehearsal Transposed, (GROSART), iii., 372. They amaze, shatter and HARE their people.

  1719.  D’URFEY, Wit and Mirth; or Pills to Purge Melancholy, i., 92. Running, HARING, gaping, staring.

  TO HARE IT, verb. phr. (American thieves’).—To retrace one’s steps; to double back. [From the way of a hare with the hounds.]

  TO MAKE A HARE OF, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To make ridiculous; to expose the ignorance of any person.

  1830–2.  W. CARLETON, Traits and Stories of the Irish Peasantry, ‘The Hedge-School.’ What A HARE that MADE OF him … and did not leave him a leg to stand on!

  1844.  LEVER, Tom Burke of Ours, ii., 393. It was Mister Curran MADE A HARE OF your Honor that day.

  TO SWALLOW A HARE, verb. phr. (old).—To get very drunk. For synonyms, see DRINKS and SCREWED.

  c. 1696.  B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v.

  1725.  A New Canting Dictionary, s.v. Hare.

  1785.  GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v. HE HAS SWALLOWED A HARE, he is drunk, more probably a hair which requires washing down.

  1859.  G. W. MATSELL, Vocabulum; or, The Rogue’s Lexicon, s.v.

  TO HOLD WITH THE HARE AND HUNT WITH THE HOUNDS, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To play a double game; to keep on good terms with two conflicting parties.

  c. 1696.  B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v.

  TO KISS THE HARE’S FOOT, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To be late; to be a day after the fair; to kiss the post.