Cony

Co"ny (? or ?; 277), n. [OE. coning, conig, coni, OF. connin, conin, connil, fr. L. cuniculus a rabbit, cony, prob. an Hispanic word.] [Written also coney.] 1. (Zoöl.) (a) A rabbit, esp., the European rabbit (Lepus cuniculus). (b) The chief hare.

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

2. A simpleton. [Obs.]

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

3. (Zoöl.) (a) An important edible West Indian fish (Epinephelus apua); the hind of Bermuda. (b) A local name of the burbot. [Eng.]