Green’s Dictionary of Slang

to talk; thus rabbit away, rabbit on, to chatter, to grumble, to complain; as n., a chat.

a.1945		L. Payne private coll. n.p.: Talk Rabbit & Pork.
1958		Chronicle-Telegram (Elyria, OH) 5 Nov. 21/6: One who ‘rabbits too much’ is a very voluble person indeed.
1959		Galton & Simpson ‘Hancock in Hospital’ Hancock’s Half-Hour [Radio script] Hark at them, rabbiting away. It sounds like the birdhouse at Regent’s Park.
1961		T. Taylor Baron’s Court All Change (2011) 32: ‘We’ll have to have a rabbit about it some time’.
1962		F. Norman Guntz 166: Rabbiting away nineteen-to-the-dozen.
1970		B. Naughton Alfie Darling 220: Have a little rabbit with them, listen to their troubles.
1976		(ref. to 1930s–70s) R. Barnes Coronation Cups and Jam Jars 208: Rabbit and pork – Talk.
1984		Smiley Culture ‘Cockney Translation’ 🎵 Cockney say rabbit. We chatter.
1985		R.G. Barrett You Wouldn’t Be Dead for Quids (1989) 89: He was [...] always rabbiting on to Les about how smart his sons were.
1996		J. Byrell Lairs, Urgers & Coat-Tuggers 304: [E]veryone is rabbitting on like silly sheilas under hair dryers.
1997		(con. 1960s) A. Frewin London Blues 186: Stephen would hardly jeopardise himself by rabbiting on to somebody.
2001		M. Coles Bible in Cockney 67: But, the geezer was so happy, he started to tell people everywhere what had happened. In fact, he rabbit and porked about it so much, that Jesus couldn’t go into town publicly.
2008		Camden New Journal (London) 21 Feb. 40: You can rabbit on about your cup final, we’re off to Italy!
2012		(con. 1980s) I. Welsh Skagboys 82: She’s rabbitin oan about some new joab she’s goat.
2018		G. Gilmore Base Nature [ebook] He let Davie rabbit on for twenty minutes.
2024		J. Meades Empty Wigs (t/s) 462: ‘Rui Päschlat - the guy you were rabbiting with’.