Quaggy
(Quag"gy) a.[See Quag, Quagmire.] Of the nature of a quagmire; yielding or trembling under
the foot, as soft, wet earth; spongy; boggy. "O'er the watery strath, or quaggy moss." Collins.
Quagmire
(Quag"mire`) n. [Quake + mire.] Soft, wet, miry land, which shakes or yields under the feet.
"A spot surrounded by quagmires, which rendered it difficult of access." Palfrey.
Syn. — Morass; marsh; bog; swamp; fen; slough.
Quahog
(Qua"hog, Qua"haug) n. [Abbrev. fr. Narragansett Indian poquaûhock.] (Zoöl.) An American
market clam (Venus mercenaria). It is sold in large quantities, and is highly valued as food. Called also
round clam, and hard clam.
The name is also applied to other allied species, as Venus Mortoni of the Gulf of Mexico.
Quaigh
(Quaigh, Quaich) n. [Gael. cuach. Cf. Quaff.] A small shallow cup or drinking vessel. [Scot.]
[Written also quegh.]
Quail
(Quail) v. i. [imp. & p. p. Qualled ; p. pr. & vb. n. Qualling.] [AS. cwelan to die, perish; akin
to cwalu violent death, D. kwaal pain, G. qual torment, OHG. quelan to suffer torment, Lith. gelti to
hurt, gela pain. Cf. Quell.]
1. To die; to perish; hence, to wither; to fade. [Obs.] Spenser.
2. 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.
The atheist power shall quail, and confess his fears. I. Taylor.
Stouter hearts than a woman's have
quailed in this terrible winter.
Longfellow. Syn. — to cower; flinch; shrink; quake; tremble; blench; succumb; yield.
Quail
(Quail), v. t. [Cf. Quell.] To cause to fail in spirit or power; to quell; to crush; to subdue. [Obs.]
Spenser.
Quail
(Quail), v. i. [OF. coaillier, F. cailler, from L. coagulare. See Coagulate.] To curdle; to coagulate,
as milk. [Obs.] Holland.
Quail
(Quail), n. [OF. quaille, F. caille, LL. quaquila, qualia, qualea, of Dutch or German origin; cf. D.
kwakkel, kwartel, OHG. wahtala, G. wachtel.]
1. (Zoöl.) Any gallinaceous bird belonging to Coturnix and several allied genera of the Old World, especially
the common European quail the rain quail (C. Coromandelica) of India, the stubble quail and the Australian
swamp quail (Synoicus australis).
2. (Zoöl.) 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
3. (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of Turnix and allied genera, native of the Old World, as the
Australian painted quail See Turnix.
4. A prostitute; — so called because the quail was thought to be a very amorous bird.[Obs.] Shak.
Bustard quail (Zoöl.), a small Asiatic quail-like bird of the genus Turnix, as T. taigoor, a black-breasted
species, and the hill bustard quail (T. ocellatus). See Turnix. — Button quail (Zoöl.), one of several
small Asiatic species of Turnix, as T. Sykesii, which is said to be the smallest game bird of India. —
Mountain quail. See under Mountain. — Quail call, a call or pipe for alluring quails into a net or
