quail

v. flinch from fear, recoil, cringe; falter

n. any species of small game bird from the genus Coturnix

Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds in the pheasant family Phasianidae, or in the family Odontophoridae. This article deals with the Old World species in the former family. The New World quails are not closely related, but are named for their similar appearance and behaviour.The Old World buttonquails are also in a different family Turnicidae, and are not true quails.
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Noun
1. flesh of quail; suitable for roasting or broiling if young; otherwise must be braised
(hypernym) wildfowl
(classification) game bird
2. small gallinaceous game birds
(hypernym) phasianid
(hyponym) bobwhite, bobwhite quail, partridge
(member-holonym) bevy
Verb
1. draw back, as with fear or pain; "she flinched when they showed the slaughtering of the calf"
(synonym) flinch, squinch, funk, cringe, shrink, wince, recoil
(hypernym) move
(hyponym) shrink back, retract

(v. t.)
To cause to fail in spirit or power; to quell; to crush; to subdue.
  

(v. i.)
To die; to perish; hence, to wither; to fade.
  

(v. i.)
To curdle; to coagulate, as milk.
  

(v. i.)
To become quelled; to become cast down; to sink under trial or apprehension of danger; to lose the spirit and power of resistance; to lose heart; to give way; to shrink; to cower.
  

(n.)
Any one of several American partridges belonging to Colinus, Callipepla, and allied genera, especially the bobwhite (called Virginia quail, and Maryland quail), and the California quail (Calipepla Californica).
  

(n.)
Any one of numerous species of Turnix and allied genera, native of the Old World, as the Australian painted quail (Turnix varius). See Turnix.
  

(n.)
Any gallinaceous bird belonging to Coturnix and several allied genera of the Old World, especially the common European quail (C. communis), the rain quail (C. Coromandelica) of India, the stubble quail (C. pectoralis), and the Australian swamp quail (Synoicus australis).
  

(n.)
A prostitute; -- so called because the quail was thought to be a very amorous bird.
  

To see quails in your dream, is a very favorable omen, if they are alive; if dead, you will undergo serious ill luck.

To shoot quail, foretells that ill feelings will be shown by you to your best friends.

To eat them, signifies extravagance in your personal living.