\Deer\ (d[=e]r), n. sing. & pl. [OE. der, deor, animal,
wild animal, AS. de['o]r; akin to D. dier, OFries. diar, G.
thier, tier, Icel. d[=y]r, Dan. dyr, Sw. djur, Goth. dius; of
unknown origin. [root]71.]
1. Any animal; especially, a wild animal. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
         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.