the rabbit died
Indicates one's own pregnancy, or that someone has found out they are pregnant.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“She told her partner that the rabbit died.”
“I think the rabbit died because I feel different this morning.”
“After feeling sick for a week, she took a test and realized the rabbit died.”
“My grandmother used to say the rabbit died to tell her friends she was expecting a baby.”
“He looked shocked when his wife whispered that the rabbit died while they were out at dinner.”
“The doctor called with the results of my blood work to confirm that the rabbit died, so we should start planning the nursery soon.”
“In a moment of quiet realization, she understood that the rabbit died and her life was about to change forever.”
The phrase refers to the rabbit test, a form of pregnancy detection developed in the 1920s. Though the expression suggests the animal’s demise was a specific indicator of a positive result, in practice all rabbits used in the procedure were killed so their ovaries could be inspected for changes. The idiom persisted as a euphemism for pregnancy long after the biological necessity of the rabbit had been superseded by chemical alternatives.
- 01
cross my heart and hope to die
Added to a promise or a statement to show how serious one was about being honest in what one said
- 02
die a thousand deaths
To suffer repeatedly (often mentally rather than physically); to suffer extreme embarrassment or anxiety.
- 03
die down
To become less virulent or strong; to subside.
- 04
die hard
Of a living being, to die only after a desperate struggle for life.
- 05
die in harness
Of a person, to pass away before retirement.
- 06
die on one's arse
To fail completely.
- 07
die on the vine
To fail at an early stage or never come to fruition, typically due to neglect, infeasibility, or lack of resources.
- 08
die out
To become extinct.
Last updated August 10, 2026