/ Dictionary / Index Q quail: Meaning and Definition of Find definitions for: quail Pronunciation: (kwāl), [key] — pl. quails, quail. a small, migratory, gallinaceous game bird, Coturnix coturnix, of the Old World. any of several other birds of the genus Coturnix and allied genera. any of various New World gallinaceous game birds of the genus Colinus and allied genera, esp. the bobwhite. a woman or girl. quail Pronunciation: (kwāl), [key] to lose heart or courage in difficulty or danger; shrink with fear. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease. See also: quail (Thesaurus) Quai d'Orsay quail-brush Related Content Daily Word Quiz: immense Analogy of the Day: Today’s Analogy Spelling Bee: Today’s Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language