quail

/kweɪl/
noun
  1. A small, short-tailed bird with a plump body, often hunted for sport or food.
    • Hunters set out early in the morning to find quail in the fields.
    • The restaurant served roasted quail with a berry sauce.
    • We saw a family of quail scurrying across the hiking trail.
verb
  1. To feel or show fear; to lose courage or confidence.
    • The soldiers quailed before the enemy's overwhelming numbers.
    • She did not quail at the difficult exam; she studied hard and passed.
    • He quailed at the thought of speaking in front of the large audience.
What does "quail" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean