Middle English Dictionary Entry

dẹ̄r n.
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Entry Info

Forms dẹ̄r n. Also deor, dor, dur, dier; (in cpds.) dar-, dir(i-. Pl. dẹ̄r & dẹ̄res, deores, dueres & dẹ̄re, (early) deoran, deoren, (late) deare.
Etymology OE dēor beast.

Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)

1.
(a) A wild animal; esp., a quadruped (in some early quots.: ?a deer); also, an ant, fish, etc.; (b) wilde ~, a wild animal; (c) a domesticated animal; (d) clene (unclene) ~, an animal ceremonially clean (unclean) in Heb. law; (e) one of the four Evangelistic symbols.
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2.
(a) A deer; falwe ~, red ~, wilde ~; (b) deerskin; (c) blouen the ~, ?to blow a blast on a hunting horn to signal the death of the deer [?error for blouen the deth].
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3.
In cpds. & combs.: (a) der(es kin, animal kind, animals; (b) der(es flesh, deer's flesh, venison; ?also, meat from a wild animal; deres lether, leather made from deerskin; dere-skin, deerskin, a deerskin; deres talwe, deer fat; (c) ~ brous, boughs stripped of leaves by deer; ~ fold, ~ frith, ~ toun, a park for wild animals (?esp., for deer) [see also Smith PNElem. 1.131]; ~ hunting, ?a deer hunt, ?hunt for wild animals; (d) ~ hunte, a deer hunter; ~ reve, an officer in charge of the deer; -- surnames; (e) in place names [see Smith PNElem. 1.130-1].
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