'Deer mouse' definitions:
Definition of 'deer mouse'
From: WordNet
noun
Brownish New World mouse; most widely distributed member of the genus [syn: deer mouse, Peromyscus maniculatus]
Definition of 'Deer mouse'
From: GCIDE
- Deer \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. [1913 Webster]
- Mice and rats, and such small deer. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- The camel, that great deer. --Lindisfarne MS. [1913 Webster]
- 2. (Zool.) 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. [1913 Webster]
- Note: The deer hunted in England is Cervus elaphus, called also stag or red deer; the fallow deer is {Cervus dama}; the common American deer is {Cervus Virginianus}; the blacktailed deer of Western North America is Cervus Columbianus; and the mule deer of the same region is Cervus macrotis. See Axis, Fallow deer, Mule deer, Reindeer. [1913 Webster]
- Note: Deer is much used adjectively, or as the first part of a compound; as, deerkiller, deerslayer, deerslaying, deer hunting, deer stealing, deerlike, etc. [1913 Webster]
- Deer mouse (Zool.), the white-footed mouse ({Peromyscus leucopus}, formerly 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. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'deer mouse'
From: GCIDE
- Mouse \Mouse\ (mous), n.; pl. Mice (m[imac]s). [OE. mous, mus, AS. m[=u]s, pl. m[=y]s; akin to D. muis, G. maus, OHG. & Icel. m[=u]s, Dan. muus, Sw. mus, Russ. muishe, L. mus, Gr. my^s, Skr. m[=u]sh mouse, mush to steal. [root]277. Cf. Muscle, Musk.]
- 1. (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of small rodents belonging to the genus Mus and various related genera of the family Muridae. The common house mouse ({Mus musculus}) is found in nearly all countries. The American white-footed mouse, or deer mouse ({Peromyscus leucopus}, formerly Hesperomys leucopus) sometimes lives in houses. See Dormouse, Meadow mouse, under Meadow, and Harvest mouse, under Harvest. [1913 Webster]
- 2. (Naut.) (a) A knob made on a rope with spun yarn or parceling to prevent a running eye from slipping. (b) Same as 2d Mousing, 2. [1913 Webster]
- 3. A familiar term of endearment. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- 4. A dark-colored swelling caused by a blow. [Slang] [1913 Webster]
- 5. A match used in firing guns or blasting. [1913 Webster]
- Field mouse, Flying mouse, etc. See under Field, Flying, etc.
- Mouse bird (Zool.), a coly.
- Mouse deer (Zool.), a chevrotain, as the kanchil.
- Mouse galago (Zool.), a very small West American galago (Galago murinus). In color and size it resembles a mouse. It has a bushy tail like that of a squirrel.
- Mouse hawk. (Zool.) (a) A hawk that devours mice. (b) The hawk owl; -- called also mouse owl.
- Mouse lemur (Zool.), any one of several species of very small lemurs of the genus Chirogaleus, found in Madagascar.
- Mouse piece (Cookery), the piece of beef cut from the part next below the round or from the lower part of the latter; -- called also mouse buttock. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'deer mouse'
From: GCIDE