quail

1 of 2

noun

ˈkwāl 

plural quail or quails

: any of numerous small gallinaceous birds: such as

a

: an Old World migratory game bird (Coturnix coturnix)

b

: bobwhite

Illustration of quail

quail

2 of 2

verb

quailed; quailing; quails

intransitive verb

1

a

chiefly dialectal : wither, decline

b

: to give way : falter

his courage never quailed

2

: to recoil in dread or terror : cower

the strongest quail before financial ruin

—Samuel Butler †1902

transitive verb

archaic : to make fearful

Did you know?

Flinch, recoil, and wince are all synonyms of quail, but each word has a slightly different use. When you flinch, you fail to endure pain or to face something dangerous or frightening with resolution ("she faced her accusers without flinching"). Recoil implies a start or movement away from something through shock, fear, or disgust ("he recoiled at the suggestion of stealing"). Wince usually suggests a slight involuntary physical reaction to something ("she winced as the bright light suddenly hit her eyes"). Quail implies shrinking and cowering in fear ("he quailed before the apparition").

Synonyms

Verb

• recoil
• flinch
• wince

Choose the Right Synonym for quail

recoil, shrink, flinch, wince, blench, quail mean to draw back in fear or distaste.

recoil implies a start or movement away through shock, fear, or disgust.

recoiled at the suggestion of stealing

shrink suggests an instinctive recoil through sensitiveness, scrupulousness, or cowardice.

shrank from the unpleasant truth

flinch implies a failure to endure pain or face something dangerous or frightening with resolution.

faced her accusers without flinching

wince suggests a slight involuntary physical reaction (such as a start or recoiling).

winced in pain

blench implies fainthearted flinching.

stood their ground without blenching

quail suggests shrinking and cowering in fear.

quailed before the apparition

Examples of quail in a Sentence

Noun

We had quail for dinner.

Verb

Other politicians quailed before him.

He quailed at the thought of seeing her again.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Putting trail cameras out at those locations showed squirrels, rabbits, quail and even a roadrunner dropping by to kick up the dust and take a leisurely bath. —Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 July 2025

Ten cents would have got you a $10 bet she was locked up on a quail. —H. R. Temple, Outdoor Life, 16 July 2025

Verb

Their prey includes smaller rats (more nutritious than mice), as well as squirrels, mice, chipmunks, birds (sometimes quail or chicks) and amphibians. —Jan Wagner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 June 2025

Despite fears that the lingering climate of uncertainty would quail buyers, the challenges that sourcing from Bangladesh presents don’t appear to be insurmountable, at least from the United States’ point of view. —Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 3 Sep. 2019

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English quaile, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin quaccula, of imitative origin

Verb

Middle English, from Middle Dutch quelen

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing quail

• button quail
• Japanese quail

Rhymes for quail

• airmail
• assail
• avail
• bewail
• blackmail
• cattail
• cocktail
• curtail
• derail
• detail
• dovetail
• email

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Kids Definition

quail

1 of 2 noun

ˈkwā(ə)l 

plural quail or quails

: any of various mostly small plump game birds (as the bobwhite) that are related to the common domestic chicken

quail

2 of 2 verb

: to lose courage : shrink in fear

Etymology

Noun

Middle English quaile "quail (bird)," from early French quaile (same meaning), from Latin quaccula (same meaning), of imitative origin

Verb

Middle English quailen "to wither, decline," from early Dutch quelen (same meaning)