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. 1830–32. Carleton, Traits and Stories, ‘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. 1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. 1725. New Cant. Dict. Hare, s.v. 1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. He has swallowed a hare, he is drunk, more probably a hair which requires washing down. 1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, 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. 1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. 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. Hare-brained (or Hair-brained), adj. (old colloquial: now recognised).—Reckless; flighty; impudent; skittish. Also, substantively, hare-brain = a hare-brained person. 1534. N. Udal, Roister Doister, I., iv., p. 27 (Arber). Ah foolish hare-braine, This is not she. 1592. Nashe, Pierce Penilesse, in Wks., ii., 53. A harebraind little Dwarfe it is. 1621. Burton, Anat. of Mel., I., III., I., ii., 259 (1836). Yet again, many of them, desperate hare-brains. 1622. Bacon, Henry VII. That same haire-braine wild fellow, my subject. 1751. Smollett, Peregrine Pickle, ch. xliii. When the government of a nation depends upon the caprice of the ignorant, hair-brained vulgar. 1870. Chambers’ Miscellany, No. 53, p. 28. The Slater girls are as hare-brained as herself. Hared, adj. (old).—Hurried. Hare-sleep, subs. (old).—Sham slumber; foxes’ sleep (q.v.). 1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Hare-sleep, with Eies a’most open. Harking, subs. (old).—See quots. 1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Harking, whispering on one side to borrow Money. 1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v. 1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Hark-ye-ing, whispering on one side to borrow money. Harlequin, subs. (theatrical).—1. A sovereign. For synonyms, see Canary. 2. (Winchester College).—The wooden nucleus of a red india-rubber ball. 3. (old).—A patchwork quilt. Harlequin China, adj. phr. (old).—Sets composed of several patterns and makes. Harlotry, subs. (old).—A wanton. d. 1529. Skelton, Bowge of Courte. He had no pleasure but in harlotrye. 1672. Wycherley, Love in a Wood, iv., i. But O the harlotry, did she make that use of it then. 1695. Congreve, Love for Love, iii., i. O you young harlotry.