Webster's English Dictionary

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quail

Cross references:
  1. recoil                
 
1. quail \'kwa-(*)l\ n or quail or quails [ME quaille, fr. MF, fr. ML 
   quaccula, of imit. origin] pl  1: any of various Old World gallinaceous 
   birds (genus Coturnix); e sp : a migratory game bird (C. coturnix syn. C. 
   communis) 2: any of various small American game birds (order Galliformes); 
   esp  : BOBWHITE
2. quail vb [ME quailen to curdle, fr. MF quailler, fr. L coagulare - m]ore 
   at COAGULATE chiefly dial  1: WITHER, DECLINE  2: to lose courage : COWER  
   archaic  : to make fearful