The word "coney" has a few different meanings and can refer to several animals, but let's break it down in a simple way.
Coney as a Rabbit: Traditionally, "coney" refers to a type of rabbit, especially those that live in burrows. These rabbits have long ears and short tails. They are part of the family called Leporidae.
Coney as a Rock-Dwelling Animal: In some regions, "coney" can refer to a small mammal that lives in rocky areas, specifically certain types of rodents found in Asia and North America.
Coney in Literature and Cuisine: Sometimes, "coney" is used in older literature or in certain cuisines to refer to rabbit meat.
Coney as a Fish: It can also refer to a type of fish that is usually dusky-colored with reddish fins.
In literature, you might see "coney" used poetically or in a historical context. For example, a writer might describe a pastoral scene with coneys grazing in a meadow.
There are no common idioms or phrasal verbs specifically related to "coney." However, you might encounter phrases in literature that evoke rabbits, like "to pull a rabbit out of a hat," which means to do something surprising or clever.
In summary, "coney" is an interesting word that can refer to rabbits and certain other animals, mostly in historical or literary contexts.