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hare

Fauna
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A hare is a swift, long-eared mammal resembling a rabbit but larger, with black-tipped ears, famed for its erratic leaping and moonlit courtship.

Detailed Definition
The hare holds a mystical place in poetry, often associated with moonlight, madness, and the uncanny. Its springtime boxing matches and wild dashes across fields have inspired images of frenzied energy and exuberant life. In folklore, the hare is a shape-shifter and a creature of the goddess, making it a symbol of fertility, rebirth, and the trickster spirit. Poets use the hare to convey unpredictability, the wild heart of the countryside, and the thin boundary between the ordinary and the enchanted.
Example
Example in poetry:
William Cowper's "Epitaph on a Hare" describes the hare's playful nature: "To skip and gambol like a fawn, And swing his rump around".; A poet might write, "At the raw end of winter the mountain is half snow, half dun grass. Only when snow moves does it become a hare".; The hare can symbolize speed and elusiveness.; Its moonlit courtship inspires mystery.; The animal's role in folklore is noted.
Additional Notes
The hare occupies a distinct place in poetry, often contrasted with the rabbit—the former wild and lunar, the latter domestic and earthy. The hare's springtime boxing matches, erratic leaping, and moonlit courtship have inspired images of frenzied energy, exuberant life, and the uncanny. In folklore, the hare is a shape-shifter and a creature of the goddess, making it a symbol of fertility, rebirth, and the trickster spirit. Poets often use the hare to convey unpredictability, the wild heart of the countryside, and the thin boundary between the ordinary and the enchanted. When writing, emphasize the hare's difference from the rabbit—its larger size, black-tipped ears, and its preference for open country over burrows.
Also Known As
long-eared speedster mad March runner field dweller
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