kill the rabbit en · VERB
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
Before the days of instant pregnancy tests, a woman's sample was injected into a rabbit. There were several varieties of tests; one allegedly would kill the rabbit if the pregnancy hormone was present in the sample (most accounts indicate the rabbit was killed and dissected either way.)
Meanings
-
(dated, slang) To get a positive test result from an old-fashioned pregnancy test.
"What about her?" "She killed the rabbit."
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| kills the rabbit | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| killed the rabbit | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| killed the rabbit | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| killing the rabbit | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic |