Cony

Cony, or Coney, an old name for the rabbit used also in the English version of the Bible. It is also in the United States a slang term for counterfeit money.

Entry from Everybody's Cyclopedia, 1912.

Co"ny [OE. coning, conig, coni, OF. connin, conin, connil, fr. L. cuniculus a rabbit, cony, prob. an Hispanic word.] [Written also coney.]

1. Zool. (a)

A rabbit, esp., the European rabbit (Lepus cuniculus)

The chief hare.

⇒ The cony of Scripture is thought to be Hyrax Syriacus, called also daman, and cherogril. See Daman.

2.

A simpleton.

It is a most simple animal; whence are derived our usual phrases of cony and cony catcher. Diet's Dry Dinner (1599).

3. Zool. (a)

An important edible West Indian fish (Epinephelus apua); the hind of Bermuda.

A local name of the burbot.

© Webster 1913.