Word
quail
US/ˈkweɪɫ/
UK/kwˈeɪl/
Definition
v. to feel or show fear or worry. You use this when someone loses their courage or pulls back because they are scared.
v. To recoil in dread or terror; to lose heart or courage in the face of difficulty or danger. Often describes a physical or psychological reaction to an intimidating presence.
Examples
“He did not quail when the boss shouted at him.”
“The young soldier tried not to quail as he approached the front lines for the first time.”
“Even the most experienced explorers might quail at the prospect of crossing such a treacherous mountain pass during a winter storm.”
Examples
simple
“He did not quail when the boss shouted at him.”
contextual
“The young soldier tried not to quail as he approached the front lines for the first time.”
complex
“Even the most experienced explorers might quail at the prospect of crossing such a treacherous mountain pass during a winter storm.”
Usage
The verb is intransitive and often takes the preposition 'at' before the source of fear.
Real-World Examples
“If it wasn’t so hot, and his blinds weren’t drawn so low, we’d probably see a family of quail running past his office window.” Idioms
dying quail — A pop fly which is hit weakly and falls in front of the outfielders.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/quail