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Deer

.

Supposed by poets to shed tears. The drops, however, which fall from their eyes are not tears, but an oily secretion from the so-called tear-pits.        

“A poor sequestered stag … .


Did come to languish … . and the big round tears

Coursed one another down his innocent nose

In piteous chase.”

1


Shakespeare: As You Like It, ii. 2.

Small deer. Any small animal; and used metaphorically for any collection of trifles or trifling matters.        

“But mice and rats, and such small deer,

Have been Tom’s food for seven long year.”

2


Shakespeare: Lear, iii. 4.

 

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Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.

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Décolleté [da-coal-ta]
Decoration Day
Decoy Duck
Decrepit
Decuman Gate
Dedalian
Dedlock (Sir Leicester)
Dee
Dee (Dr. John)
Dee Mills
Deer
Deerslayer
Dees (The)
Deev-Binder
Default
Defeat
Defeat
Defender of the Faith
Deficit (Madame)
Degenerate
Dei Gratia