flesh of quail; suitable for roasting or broiling if young; otherwise must be braised
"The chef decided to roast the young birds rather than braise them, taking advantage of their tender meat."
small gallinaceous game birds
"The hunters spent hours scanning the dense brush, hoping to spot a single quail before they flushed into the sky."
Any of various small game birds of the genera Coturnix, Anurophasis or Perdicula in the Old World family Phasianidae or of the New World family Odontophoridae.
"The hunter carefully stepped around the dense brush to avoid startling a covey of quail hidden in the tall grass."
To waste away; to fade, to wither
"The heat was too high and the cream began to quail before it could be properly incorporated into the sauce."
To curdle or coagulate, as milk does.
A surname, from Scottish Gaelic​.
"The local history society is hosting a dinner in honor of Mr. Quail, whose family has lived on the estate for generations."
The word "quail" comes from the Middle English quaylen and traces back to Proto-Germanic roots meaning "to suffer." It is a doublet of the word "queal," sharing this original sense of enduring pain or distress.