quail before (someone or something)

To tremble with fear before someone or something; to cower or whimper in the face of someone or something. The headmistress at my old school was so menacing—we all quailed before her whenever we were called to her office. The people of this country will quail before the might of our army.

quail before someone or something

to cower before or at the threat of someone or something. The students quailed before the angry principal. They quailed before the thought of punishment.

See also: before, quail

See also:

References in classic literature

He knew that he would no more quail before his guides wher- ever they should point.

View in context

I have seen a brawny, fellow, with no lack of ordinary courage, fairly quail before this slender stripling, when in one of his curious fits.

View in context

Hatfield twisted right, correcting his lead on a bobwhite quail before squeezing the trigger.

On the rebound: the bobwhite quail, for reasons we can finally begin to understand, is making a comeback

I needed to learn about raising quail before I did anything else.

Quail provide a "change of pace" for poultry owners

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