Stag \Stag\ (st[a^]g), n. [Icel. steggr the male of several
animals; or a doubtful AS. stagga. Cf. Steg.]
1. (Zool.)
(a) The adult male of the red deer (Cervus elaphus), a
large European species closely related to the American
elk, or wapiti.
(b) The male of certain other species of large deer.
[1913 Webster]
2. A colt, or filly; also, a romping girl. [Prov. Eng.]
[1913 Webster]
3. A castrated bull; -- called also bull stag, and bull
seg. See the Note under Ox.
[1913 Webster]
4. (Stock Exchange)
(a) An outside irregular dealer in stocks, who is not a
member of the exchange. [Cant]
(b) One who applies for the allotment of shares in new
projects, with a view to sell immediately at a
premium, and not to hold the stock. [Cant]
[1913 Webster]
5. (Zool.) The European wren. [Prov. Eng.]
[1913 Webster]
Stag beetle (Zool.), any one of numerous species of
lamellicorn beetles belonging to Lucanus and allied
genera, especially Lucanus cervus of Europe and Lucanus
dama of the United States. The mandibles are large and
branched, or forked, whence the name. The larva feeds on
the rotten wood of dead trees. Called also horned bug,
and horse beetle.
Stag dance, a dance by men only. [Slang, U.S.]
Stag hog (Zool.), the babiroussa.
Stag-horn coral (Zool.), any one of several species of
large branching corals of the genus Madrepora, which
somewhat resemble the antlers of the stag, especially
Madrepora cervicornis, and Madrepora palmata, of
Florida and the West Indies.
Stag-horn fern (Bot.), an Australian and West African fern
(Platycerium alcicorne) having the large fronds branched
like a stag's horns; also, any species of the same genus.
Stag-horn sumac (Bot.), a common American shrub (Rhus
typhina) having densely velvety branchlets. See Sumac.
Stag party, a party consisting of men only. [Slang, U. S.]
Stag tick (Zool.), a parasitic dipterous insect of the
family Hippoboscidae, which lives upon the stag and is
usually wingless. The same species lives also upon the
European grouse, but in that case has wings.
[1913 Webster]
|
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]
|