to quail
1
8.6
- verb
- /kwāl/
- Formal
:
acobardarse ante
- Meredydd quailed, knowing he was right.
- quailed at the thought
- quailed at the prospect
- quailed at the sight
Examples
-
I quailed at the thought of exiting the world exactly as I'd entered: fat, bald, and blank.
Fiction book (1993) -
We have fun together!" Tamborel met his father's eyes, read the steely purpose there, and quailed.
Fiction book (1993) -
I looked the machine over with an expert eye while my heart quailed within me.
Fiction book (1993) -
His heart quailed at the thought of asking the eagle.
Fiction book (1993) -
Mallory would, too, but she quailed at the thought of talking to him.
Fiction book (2001) -
She'd always quailed under his gaze even when he was alive.
Fiction book (2000) -
His heart quailed before the enormous pyramidal shape.
Fiction book (1998) -
The soldier began to quail at the sound of gunfire echoing through the forest.
-
She could not hide her fear and started to quail when she heard the loud crash.
-
As the deadline approached, many students began to quail at the thought of their upcoming exams.
Synonyms
71
4.1
Move back quickly because of pain, fear or surprise
47
4.9
To make a quick face movement because of pain or dislike
34
2.3
Move back suddenly because of fear or pain
19
4.9
To move quickly backward because of fear, pain, or disgust
6
5.1
To pull back quickly because you are afraid or to show you give up
2
6.8
To shrink back and crouch because you feel very afraid
1
7.2
To move back and make your body smaller because you are afraid of something
1
9.9
Feel afraid or nervous about something you may have to face
1
9.9
To pull part of your body back when you feel pain or fear
Antonyms
Phrasal Verbs
Compounds
- Specialized
A small ground bird like a quail in Eurasia and Africa that has no hind toe and lives in grass
- Indian
A small ground bird like a quail that lives on grassy plains and has no hind toe
- Specialized
A plump, short-tailed bird with a feather that bends forward on its head
A small ground bird in western North America that lives in mountains and has a long feather on its head
How Fearful
272
2.3
41
6.1
19
4.9
- Formal
1
8.6
131
3.7
71
4.1
Surface Forms
Etymology
Quail meaning 'to feel fear' comes from an older word meaning 'to tremble' or 'shake'; a helpful way to remember it is to think of quiver or quake, because to quail is to shrink back as if shaking with fear.