venison

venison
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. (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}. [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} (Zo["o]l.), 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]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Venison — steaks. Venison is the meat of a game animal, especially a deer[1] but also other animals such as antelope, wild boar, etc. Contents 1 …   Wikipedia

  • Venison — Ven i*son (?; 277), n. [OE. veneison, veneson, venison, OF. veneison, F. venaison, L. venatio hunting, the chase, game, fr. venari, p. p. venatus, to hunt; perhaps akin to OHG. weidin?n, weidenen, to pasture, to hunt, G. weide pasturage. Cf.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • venison — late 13c., from O.Fr. venesoun meat of large game, especially deer or boar, also a hunt, from L. venationem (nom. venatio) a hunt, also game as the product of the hunt, from venatus, p.p. of venari to hunt, pursue, probably from PIE root *weie to …   Etymology dictionary

  • venison — ► NOUN ▪ meat from a deer. ORIGIN Old French venesoun, from Latin venatio hunting …   English terms dictionary

  • venison — [ven′i sən, ven′izən] n. [ME veneison < OFr, hunting < L venatio, the chase < venatus, pp. of venari, to hunt < IE base * wen , to strive for, desire > WIN, L venus, love] 1. Obs. the flesh of a game animal, used as food 2. the… …   English World dictionary

  • venison — /ven euh seuhn, zeuhn/, n. the flesh of a deer or similar animal as used for food. [1250 1300; ME ven(a)ison < OF veneison, venaison < L venation (s. of venatio hunting), equiv. to venat(us) (see VENATIC) + ion ION] * * * ▪ deer meat       (from… …   Universalium

  • venison — noun (plural venisons; also venison) Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo French veneisun game, venison, from Latin venation , venatio hunting, from venari to hunt, pursue; akin to Sanskrit vanoti he strives for more at win Date: 14th century… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • venison — [13] Latin vēnātiō meant ‘hunting’, hence ‘hunted animals, game’ (it was derived from vēnārī ‘hunt’, which may be distantly related to English win). English acquired it via Old French venison in the sense ‘flesh of hunted animals used for food’,… …   The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

  • venison — [[t]ve̱nɪz(ə)n[/t]] N UNCOUNT Venison is the meat of a deer …   English dictionary

  • Venison —     Meat from a deer is called venison …   Hunting glossary

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