Mice and rats, and such small deer. --Shak.
The camel, that great deer. --Lindisfarne
MS.
2. (Zo["o]l.) A ruminant of the genus {Cervus}, of many
species, and of related genera of the family {Cervid[ae]}.
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 venison.
Note: The deer hunted in England is {Cervus elaphus}, called
also stag or red deer; the fallow deer is {C. dama};
the common American deer is {C. Virginianus}; the
blacktailed deer of Western North America is {C.
Columbianus}; and the mule deer of the same region is
{C. macrotis}. See {Axis}, {Fallow deer}, {Mule deer},
{Reindeer}.
Note: Deer is much used adjectively, or as the first part of
a compound; as, deerkiller, deerslayer, deerslaying,
deer hunting, deer stealing, deerlike, etc.
{Deer mouse} (Zo["o]l.), the white-footed mouse ({Hesperomys
leucopus}) of America.
{Small deer}, petty game, not worth pursuing; -- used
metaphorically. (See citation from Shakespeare under the
first definition, above.) ``Minor critics . . . can find
leisure for the chase of such small deer.'' --G. P. Marsh.