quail

1. N-COUNT A quail is a type of bird that lives on the ground and is often shot and eaten. 鵪鶉

2. V-I If someone or something makes you quail, they make you feel very afraid, often so that you hesitate. 畏縮[文學(xué)性]

The very words make many of us quail. 這幾個字眼讓我們中的很多人都感到畏縮。

He told Naomi she was becoming just like Maya. Naomi quailed at the thought. 他告訴內(nèi)奧米說，她正變得像瑪雅一樣。內(nèi)奧米讓該念頭嚇住了。