jackrabbit

American  

[jak-rab-it] / ˈdʒækˌræb ɪt /

adjective

1. resembling a jack rabbit, as in suddenness or rapidity of movement.

   The car made a jackrabbit start when the traffic light turned green.

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verb (used without object)

1. to go or start forward with a rapid, sudden movement.

Etymology

Origin of jackrabbit

First recorded in 1925–30; jack rabbit

Example Sentences

Coupling that with better in-town driving practices, such as slowing down ahead of the upcoming red light rather than racing to it, and avoiding jackrabbit starts results in more savings.

From Washington Post • May 16, 2022

It features animals such as white-tailed deer, jackrabbit, alligator snapping turtle, lake sturgeon, blue jay and roseate spoonbill.

From BBC • Jul. 13, 2021

He never was a jackrabbit and seems content with the hundreds of other ways that we show love.

From Slate • Oct. 11, 2020

A future worry is that if rabbit and jackrabbit populations plummet, coyotes may hunt cattle instead, which might cause ranchers to use poison to kill the coyotes.

From Science Magazine • May 20, 2020

So they climbed out of the gorge and sped along the mesa in a dust cloud, singing fervently and almost joyously together, until suddenly the car hit a confused jackrabbit and Linda burst into tears.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols