Part 2845

<hw>Deer</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n. sing. & pl.</tt> <ety>[OE. <ets>der</ets>, <ets>door</ets>, animal, wild animal, AS. <ets>de\'a2r</ets>; akin to D. <ets>dier</ets>, OFries. <ets>diar</ets>, G. <ets>thier</ets>, <ets>tier</ets>, Icel. <ets>d<?/r</ets>, Dan. <ets>dyr</ets>, Sw. <ets>djur</ets>, Goth. <ets>dius</ets>; of unknown origin. <?/<?/<?/.]</ety>

<p><b>1.</b> <def>Any animal; especially, a wild animal.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Chaucer.</i>

<blockquote>Mice and rats, and such small <b>deer</b>. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>The camel, that great <b>deer</b>. <i>Lindisfarne MS.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <def>A ruminant of the genus <spn>Cervus</spn>, of many species, and of related genera of the family <spn>Cervid\'91</spn>. The males, and in some species the females, have solid antlers, often much branched, which are shed annually. Their flesh, for which they are hunted, is called <i>venison</i>.</def>

<note>&hand; The deer hunted in England is <spn>Cervus elaphus</spn>, called also <i>stag</i> or <i>red deer</i>; the fallow deer is <spn>C. dama</spn>; the common American deer is <spn>C. Virginianus</spn>; the blacktailed deer of Western North America is <spn>C. Columbianus</spn>; and the mule deer of the same region is <spn>C. macrotis</spn>. See <er>Axis</er>, <er>Fallow deer</er>, <er>Mule deer</er>, <er>Reindeer</er>.</note>

<note>&hand; <i>Deer</i> is much used adjectively, or as the first part of a compound; as, <i>deer</i>killer, <i>deer</i>slayer, <i>deer</i>slaying, <i>deer</i> hunting, <i>deer</i> stealing, <i>deer</i>like, etc.</note>

<cs><col>Deer mouse</col> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld>, <cd>the white-footed mouse (<spn>Hesperomys leucopus</spn>) of America.</cd> -- <col>Small deer</col>, <cd>petty game, not worth pursuing; -- used metaphorically. (See citation from Shakespeare under the first definition, above.)</cd> "Minor critics . . . can find leisure for the chase of such <i>small deer<i>."

<i>G. P. Marsh.</i> </cs>

<h1>Deerberry</h1> <Xpage=380>

<hw>Deer"ber`ry</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <fld>(Bot.)</fld> <def>A shrub of the blueberry group (<spn>Vaccinium stamineum</spn>); also, its bitter, greenish white berry; -- called also <altname>squaw huckleberry</altname>.</def>

<h1>Deergrass</h1> <Xpage=380>

<hw>Deer"grass`</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <fld>(Bot.)</fld> <def>An American genus (<spn>Rhexia</spn>) of perennial herbs, with opposite leaves, and showy flowers (usually bright purple), with four petals and eight stamens, -- the only genus of the order <spn>Melastomace\'91</spn> inhabiting a temperate clime.</def>

<h1>Deerhound</h1> <Xpage=380>

<hw>Deer"hound`</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <def>One of a large and fleet breed of hounds used in hunting deer; a staghound.</def>

<h1>Deerlet</h1> <Xpage=380>

<hw>Deer"let</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[<ets>Deer</ets> + <ets>-let</ets>.]</ety> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <def>A chevrotain. See <er>Kanchil</er>, and <er>Napu</er>.</def>

<h1>Deer-neck</h1> <Xpage=380>

<hw>Deer"-neck`</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>A deerlike, or thin, ill-formed neck, as of a horse.</def>

<h1>Deerskin</h1> <Xpage=380>

<hw>Deer"skin`</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>The skin of a deer, or the leather which is made from it.</def>

<i>Hakluyt. Longfellow.</i>

<h1>Deerstalker</h1> <Xpage=380>

<hw>Deer"stalk`er</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>One who practices deerstalking.</def>

<h1>Deerstalking</h1> <Xpage=380>

<hw>Deer"stalk`ing</hw>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>The hunting of deer on foot, by stealing upon them unawares.</def>

<h1>Deer's-tongue</h1> <Xpage=380>