quail
v. C1 Advanced US //ˈkweɪɫ// UK //kwˈeɪl// quail
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.
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.
Usage
The verb is intransitive and often takes the preposition 'at' before the source of fear.