Words / A1

KWAYL/kweɪl/

A quail is a small brown bird, much smaller than a chicken, that lives on the ground; people also keep quail for tiny eggs or meat. Countable: a quail, quail or quails. A chick is a baby bird, often a baby chicken; a sparrow is also small and brown but lives in gardens and hops, not usually farmed. Mix-up: quail vs quiet (not loud) — extra t vs l, different meaning; and quail vs sail (a boat).

Meaning

A small brown bird, smaller than a chicken, sometimes kept for eggs or meat.

Examples

• “A quail ran into the long grass.”
• “The quail hid under the bush.”
• “We had two quail eggs on toast.”

Good to know

a quail (small brown bird). Contrast: chick (baby chicken), sparrow (garden). Mix-up: quiet, sail.

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