The word quail has two completely different meanings:

1. A small, plump bird that lives on the ground in grasslands and farms. Quails are about the size of a softball, with brown and gray feathers that help them hide in tall grass. They travel in groups called coveys and make a distinctive whistling call. People have hunted quail for food for thousands of years, and some farmers raise them like chickens. You might see quail scurrying quickly across a hiking trail or hear their calls at dusk in open country.
2. To shrink back in fear or lose courage when facing something frightening or difficult. When someone quails before a challenge, they back away nervously instead of standing firm. A student might quail when the teacher announces a surprise test, or a knight in a story might quail at the sight of a dragon. The word captures that feeling when your stomach drops and you want to run away from something scary. Unlike a brave hero who faces danger head-on, someone who quails shows visible fear and hesitation. You might read that an army quailed before a powerful enemy, meaning the soldiers lost their nerve and their courage wavered.