quail \kway ul\
n. pl. quail or quails
Any of various Old World chickenlike birds of the genus Coturnix, especially
C. coturnix, small in size and having mottled brown plumage and a short tail.
Any of various similar or related New World birds, such as the bobwhite.
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[Middle English quaille, from Old French, perhaps from Vulgar Latin *coacula, of imitative origin.]
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intr.v. quailed, quail·ing, quails
To shrink back in fear; cower.
\Quail\, v. i. [OF. coaillier, F. cailler, from L. coagulare. See Coagulate.] To curdle; to coagulate, as milk. [Obs.] --Holland.
\Quail\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Qualled; p. pr. & vb. n. Qualling.] [AS. cwelan to die, perish; akin to cwalu violent death, D. kwaal pain, G. qual torment, OHG. quelan to suffer torment, Lith. gelti to hurt, gela pain. Cf. Quell.] 1. To die; to perish; hence, to wither; to fade. [Obs.] --Spenser.
2. To become quelled; to become cast down; to sink under trial or apprehension of danger; to lose the spirit and power of resistance; to lose heart; to give way; to shrink; to cower.
The atheist power shall quail, and confess his fears. I. Taylor.
Stouter hearts than a woman's have quailed in this terrible winter. --Longfellow.
Syn: to cower; flinch; shrink; quake; tremble; blench; succumb; yield.
Quail, TX
Zip code(s): 79251
(I thought this would be worth a good laugh...just to tack on!)