quail

quail
\ \ Quail the bird [14] and quailcower’ [15] are not related. The former comes via Old French quaille from medieval Latin coacula, which probably originated in imitation of the bird’s grating cry. It is not known for certain where the verb (which originally meant ‘decline, wither, give way’) came from, although some have linked it with another verb quail, now obsolete, which meant ‘curdle’. This came via Old French quailler from Latin coāgulāre, source of English coagulate.
\ \ Cf.COAGULATE

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Quail — Quail, n. [OF. quaille, F. caille, LL. quaquila, qualia, qualea, of Dutch or German origin; cf. D. kwakkel, kwartel, OHG. wahtala, G. wachtel.] [1913 Webster] 1. (Zo[ o]l.) Any gallinaceous bird belonging to {Coturnix} and several allied genera… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • QUAIL — (Heb. שְׂלָו), the bird Coturnix coturnix, the smallest of the pheasant family. The quail is approximately seven inches (about 18 cm.) long and weighs some 3½ ounces (100 gr.). The color of its plumage is like that of the house sparrow, a fact… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Quail — Quail, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Qualled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Qualling}.] [AS. cwelan to die, perish; akin to cwalu violent death, D. kwaal pain, G. qual torment, OHG. quelan to suffer torment, Lith. gelti to hurt, gela pain. Cf. {Quell}.] 1. To die; to …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • quail — the bird [14] and quail ‘cower’ [15] are not related. The former comes via Old French quaille from medieval Latin coacula, which probably originated in imitation of the bird’s grating cry. It is not known for certain where the verb (which… …   The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

  • Quail — Quail, TX U.S. Census Designated Place in Texas Population (2000): 33 Housing Units (2000): 16 Land area (2000): 3.168881 sq. miles (8.207363 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 3.168881 sq. miles (8 …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Quail, TX — U.S. Census Designated Place in Texas Population (2000): 33 Housing Units (2000): 16 Land area (2000): 3.168881 sq. miles (8.207363 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 3.168881 sq. miles (8.207363 sq …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • quail — quail·berry; quail; un·quail·ing·ly; …   English syllables

  • Quail — Quail, v. t. [Cf. {Quell}.] To cause to fail in spirit or power; to quell; to crush; to subdue. [Obs.] Spenser. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Quail — Quail, v. i. [OF. coaillier, F. cailler, from L. coagulare. See {Coagulate}.] To curdle; to coagulate, as milk. [Obs.] Holland. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • quail — Ⅰ. quail [1] ► NOUN (pl. same or quails) ▪ a small short tailed game bird, typically with brown camouflaged plumage. ORIGIN Old French quaille, from Latin coacula. Ⅱ. quail [2] ► VERB …   English terms dictionary

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