quail
(kweɪl )
Word forms: quails , quail , quails , quailing , quailed
1. countable noun
A quail is a type of small bird which is often shot and eaten.
Quail is the meat of this bird eaten as food.
They dined off salmon, quail, and fruit.
2. verb
If someone or something makes you quail, they make you feel very afraid, often so that you hesitate. [literary]
The very words make many of us quail. [VERB]
Kearon was no shrinking violet, but even he quailed at being handed 10lb of high explosive. [VERB + at]
Synonyms: shrink, cringe, flinch, shake
Image of quail
© Eric Isselee, Shutterstock
Translations:
Chinese: 鹌鹑
Japanese: ウズラ