quail

quail · verb¹

1. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*kwelaną“to suffer”
2. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*kwelan
3. Old Dutch · derived from*quelan
4. Middle Dutch · derived fromqueilen
5. Middle English · inherited fromquaylen
6. English todayquail

From Middle English quaylen, from Middle Dutch queilen, quēlen, from Old Dutch *quelan, from Proto-West Germanic *kwelan, from Proto-Germanic *kwelaną (“to suffer”). Doublet of queal.

quail · noun²

1. Late Latin · derived fromquaccola“quail”
2. Anglo-Norman · derived fromquaille
3. Middle English · inherited fromquayle
4. English todayquail

From Middle English quayle, quaile, quaille, from Anglo-Norman quaille, from Late Latin quaccola (“quail”). (prostitute): So called because the quail was thought to be a very amorous bird.

Quail · proper noun³

From a Manx form of McPhail. Also an English nickname from the quail bird.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 15th c. To waste away; to fade, to wither.
• from 16th c. To daunt or frighten (someone).
• from 16th c. To lose heart or courage; to be daunted or fearful.
• from 16th c. Of courage, faith, etc.: to slacken, to give way.