quail
1
[ kweyl ]
/ kweɪl /
noun, plural quails, (especially collectively) quail.
a small, migratory, gallinaceous game bird, Coturnix coturnix, of the Old World.
any of several other birds of the genus Coturnix and allied genera.
any of various New World gallinaceous game birds of the genus Colinus and allied genera, especially the bobwhite.
Slang.
a woman or girl.
Origin of quail
1
1300–50; Middle English
quaille < Old French < Germanic; compare Dutch
kwakkel quail, Middle Dutch, Middle Low German
quackele; akin to
quack1
OTHER WORDS FROM quail
quail·like, adjectiveWords nearby quail
quaggy,
quagmire,
quahog,
quai d'orsay,
quaich,
quail,
quail clock,
quail dove,
quail-brush,
quaint,
quair
Definition for quail (2 of 2)
quail
2
[ kweyl ]
/ kweɪl /
verb (used without object)
to lose heart or courage in difficulty or danger; shrink with fear.
Origin of quail
2
1400–50; late Middle English < Middle Dutch
quelen, queilen
synonym study for quail
See
wince1.
OTHER WORDS FROM quail
un·quail·ing, adjectiveExample sentences from the Web for quail
British Dictionary definitions for quail (1 of 2)
quail
1
/ (kweɪl) /
noun plural quails or quail
any small Old World gallinaceous game bird of the genus Coturnix and related genera, having a rounded body and small tail: family Phasianidae (pheasants)
any of various similar and related American birds, such as the bobwhite
Word Origin for quail
C14: from Old French
quaille, from Medieval Latin
quaccula, probably of imitative origin
British Dictionary definitions for quail (2 of 2)
quail
2
/ (kweɪl) /
verb
(intr)
to shrink back with fear; cower
Word Origin for quail
C15: perhaps from Old French
quailler, from Latin
coāgulāre to curdle