QUELL

squelch, quell, quench

(verb) suppress or crush completely; “squelch any sign of dissent”; “quench a rebellion”

quell, stay, appease

(verb) overcome or allay; “quell my hunger”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology 1

Verb

quell (third-person singular simple present quells, present participle quelling, simple past and past participle quelled)

(transitive) To subdue, to put down; to silence or force (someone) to submit. [from 10th c.]

(transitive) To suppress, to put an end to (something); to extinguish. [from 14th c.]

(obsolete, transitive) To kill. [9th-19th c.]

(obsolete, intransitive) To be subdued or abated; to diminish. [16th-17th c.]

To die.

Noun

quell (plural quells)

A subduing.

Etymology 2

Noun

quell (plural quells)

A source, especially a spring.

An emotion or sensation which rises suddenly.

Source: Wiktionary

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Quell, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Quelled (; p. pr. & vb. n. Quelling.] Etym: [See Quail to cower.]

1. To die. [Obs.] Yet he did quake and quaver, like to quell. Spenser.

2. To be subdued or abated; to yield; to abate. [R.] Winter's wrath begins to quell. Spenser.

Quell, v. t. Etym: [OE. quellen to kill, AS. cwellan, causative of cwelan to die; akin to OHG. quellen to torment, Icel. kvelja. See Quail to cower.]

1. To take the life of; to kill. [Obs.] Spenser. The ducks cried as [if] men would them quelle. Chaucer.

2. To overpower; to subdue; to put down. The nation obeyed the call, rallied round the sovereign, and enabled him to quell the disaffected minority. Macaulay. Northward marching to quell the sudden revolt. Longfellow.

3. To quiet; to allay; to pacify; to cause to yield or cease; as, to quell grief; to quell the tumult of the soul. Much did his words the gentle lady quell. Spenser.

Syn.

– to subdue; crush; overpower; reduce; put down; repress; suppress; quiet; allay; calm; pacify.

Quell, n.

Definition: Murder. [Obs.] Shak.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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