WORD OF THE DAY: QUAIL
verb | KWAIL
To quail is to feel afraid and often to show your fear in a way that can be clearly seen.
// Although giving a 5-minute speech was a requirement for passing the class, a few students quailed at the thought of public speaking, seeming to shrink behind their desks.
EXAMPLES OF QUAIL
“Several came to protest but didn’t want their own voices cited. A woman holding a sign reading ‘I’M A 77 YEAR OLD GRANNY FOR FREEDOM’ quailed at the prospect of having her photo in the newspaper.” — Neil Steinberg, The Chicago Sun-Times, 19 Oct. 2025
DID YOU KNOW?
Turning to the noun quail, referring to any of a number of chicken-related game birds, for information about the verb quail is of little help. The two are etymologically unrelated, and there’s nothing specific in the behavior of quails to suggest the verb’s meaning. But never fear—the next time you hear quail, think quiver instead. Although quail and quiver are also unrelated, they both start with a distinctive qu and have meanings involving a physical reaction to fear. When you quiver (as in response to, say, hearing things that go bump in the night), you shake or move with a slight trembling motion. Quailing often goes a bit beyond trembling; quail implies shrinking or cowering in fear, as perhaps when the things that go bump in the night suddenly start approaching.
Merriam Webster Dictionary
