释义 |
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024quail1 /kweɪl/USA pronunciation n. [countable], pl. quails, (esp. when thought of as a group) quail. - Birdsa small, plump bird of the pheasant family.
quail2 /kweɪl/USA pronunciation v. [no object]- to lose courage;
shrink back in fear:quailed at the thought of the danger ahead.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024quail1 (kwāl),USA pronunciation n., pl. quails, ( [esp. collectively]) quail. - Birdsa small, migratory, gallinaceous game bird, Coturnix coturnix, of the Old World.
- Birdsany of several other birds of the genus Coturnix and allied genera.
- Birdsany of various New World gallinaceous game birds of the genus Colinus and allied genera, esp. the bobwhite.
- Sex and Gender[Slang.]a woman or girl.
- Gmc; compare Dutch kwakkel quail, Middle Dutch, Middle Low German quackele; akin to quack1
- Old French
- Middle English quaille 1300–50
quail′like′, adj. quail2 (kwāl),USA pronunciation v.i. - to lose heart or courage in difficulty or danger;
shrink with fear.
- Middle Dutch quelen, queilen
- late Middle English 1400–50
recoil, flinch, blench, cower. See wince.
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