1.
[syn: chevrotain, mouse deer]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
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.
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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.
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3. A familiar term of endearment. --Shak.
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4. A dark-colored swelling caused by a blow. [Slang]
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5. A match used in firing guns or blasting.
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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.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
mouse deer
n 1: very small hornless deer-like ruminant of tropical Asia and
west Africa [syn: chevrotain, mouse deer]