quail

_quail_

Verb.

Pronunciation: kweɪl.

Etymology: of uncertain origin.

Third-person singular simple present: she/he quails.

Preterite tense, preterite participle: quailed. Present participle: quailing.

It is dated from the beginning of 1400.

Intransitively: 1. Obsolete acceptation: (the subject: an animated being, or a plant) to pine; to die. Hence: to fade, wither.

2. Obsolete acceptation: (the subject: a factual thing, as an action, enterprise, etc.) to become forceless, ineffectual or resultless.

Synonyms: to fail, to become ineffective.

[…] the whole enterprise quailed. 

John Speed… The History of Great Brit.

3. Obsolete acceptation: (the subject: a sentiment, as hope, faith, etc.) to become feeble.

4. (The subject: courage, etc.) to become feeble or lessened.

Synonym: to faint.

He was now, […], completely cowed […], and his courage seemed to have quailed in the iron gripe of the lion-hearted Jack.

Washington Irving… Bracebridge Hall

5. (The subject: an animated being) to become quelled or discouraged; this is, to fail of confidence, security, or courage; to lessen in courage.

Translation: intimidarse, in Spanish; scoraggiarsi, in Italian; se décourager, in French.

Antonyms: to encourage oneself, exhort oneself.

“It is well! mine is a name that must not be spoken among the homes of Venice. It would make thee thyself to quail couldst thou hear it spoken."

William Simms… Southward Ho!

His form was that of a giant, but he quailed under the captain's eye.

Charles Dickens… Captain Boldheart…

They lived at Camberwell; in a house so big and fierce that its mere outside, like the outside of a giant's castle, […] made bold persons quail.

Charles Dickens… Every Child Can Read

The writer of a history may, in some respects, be likened unto an adventurous knight, who having undertaken a perilous enterprise by way of establishing his fame, feels bound, in honor and chivalry to turn back for no difficulty nor hardship, and never to shrink or quail, whatever enemy he may encounter.

Washington Irving… Knickerbocker's History…

-) With the preposition at (or to, before) + a noun designative of what is daunting, formidable or intimating:

[…] there is a power in the eye of man, to which all other animals quail.

Frederick Marryat… The King's Own

For a moment the firm and decided bearing of the chieftains seemed to quail before the lofty, impetuous spirit of their leader.

H. M. Jones… The Scottish Chieftains

"From information I have received," said he, looking round at us as we all quailed before him, "I have reason to believe there is a blacksmith among you, by name Joseph—or Joe—Gargery. Which is the man?"

Charles Dickens… Great expectations

Many of the members were greedy of a temporary popularity; and after braving the king and the court, they quailed to the orators who declaimed in the clubs.

George Long… France and its revolutions

A dark flash of suspicion crossed his mind, as he gazed at the individual he was addressing, who quailed not at his frowns.

George Hansard… The book of archery

"How many of you have eaten some of these? Tell the truth, now." They quailed before her sternness--quailed and confessed. All told, seven had swallowed the sweet pellets, in numbers ranging from two to a dozen more.

B. M. Bower… Chip

 [Kate] had, it is true, quailed at the prospect of drudgery and hard service; but she had felt no degradation in working for her bread, until she found herself exposed to insolence and pride.

Charles Dickens… Nicholas Nickleby

Mr. Utterson had already quailed at the name of Hyde.

Robert Stevenson… The Strange Case…

-) (Synecdochical construction) The subject: heart, spirit, etc.:

Her heart quailed at the possibility of his having overheard the conversation.

Catherine Crowe… Susan Hopley

6. (Of the eyes) to be manifesters that one is qualing or being intimidated.

Synonyms: to flinch, blench.

He turned first very red, and then very pale, whilst with a trembling hand he took the money and returned her the change. His eye quailed before hers.

Catherine Crowe… Susan Hopley

Adrian, who when the Senator had unmasked had followed his example, felt at these words that his eye quailed beneath Rienzi's.

Edward Bulwer Lytton… Rienzi

Slowly Aram lifted his eyes from the warrant, and it might be seen that his face was a shade more pale, though his look did not quail, or his nerves tremble.

Edward Lytton… Eugene Aram

I looked at him, and his eye quailed.

Edward Bulwer Lytton (Harold)

Transitively: 1. Obsolete acceptation. To impair or damage (something corporeal or incorporeal)

2. To cause (an animated being) to quail; this is, to cause to lessen in confidence, security, or courage

Synonyms: to daunt, cow, intimidate, overawe.

Antonyms: to exhort, encourage, incite, stimulate.

Translation: intimidar, in Spanish; scoraggiare, in Italian; décourager, in French.

 “I understand it,” said Lupton, springing to his feet, “that boy…”

“You must also understand, sir, that I am not to be interrupted,” said Mason, with a glance on Lupton that quailed him to his seat.

The romancist and novelist’s library, vol. 2, by William Hazlitt

-) (Synecdochical construction) the direct object: heart, spirit, etc.:

Though protected from the rain, incessant flashes of lightning, [… with] loud and prolonged bursts of thunder, quailed her spirits.

Timothy Arthur… Arthur’s magazine

[…] did this gigantic array of tyranny quail her spirit for a single moment?

Nile’s weekly register, vol. 44

Other English words derived from the verb QUAIL: quailer, quailing, unquailed, unquailing, unquailingly.