Quail

Quick meaning: Quail is a verb meaning (intransitive) To waste away; to fade, to wither.

Meaning

(intransitive) To waste away; to fade, to wither.

More Meanings

1. (transitive, now rare) To daunt or frighten (someone).
2. (intransitive) To lose heart or courage; to be daunted or fearful.
3. (intransitive) Of courage, faith, etc.: to slacken, to give way.
4. (uncountable) The meat from this bird eaten as food.
5. Any of various small game birds of the genera Coturnix, Anurophasis or Perdicula in the Old World family Phasianidae or of the New World family Odontophoridae.
6. (obsolete) A prostitute.
7. (obsolete) To curdle or coagulate, as milk does.

Example Sentences

But when he meant to quaile and shake the Orbe, / He was as ratling Thunder.

To tell the truth the prospect rather quailed him – wandering about in the gloomy corridors of a nunnery.

Death dvvels vvithin vs, and if gentle Peace / Diſcend not ſoone, our ſorrovves to ſurceaſe, / Latium (alreadie quaild) vvill be deſtroyd.

Stouter hearts than a woman's have quailed in this terrible winter. Yours is tender and trusting, and needs a stronger one to lean on; so I have come to you now, with an offer of marriage.

Word Forms

• quails
• quailing
• quailed

Synonyms for quail

Depending on context, synonyms include recoil, cringe, shrink, flinch, squinch, funk.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include shrink, cringe, flinch, wince, recoil, funk.

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