quell

[ kwel ]
/ kwɛl /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR quell ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

to suppress; put an end to; extinguish: The troops quelled the rebellion quickly.
to vanquish; subdue.
to quiet or allay (emotions, anxieties, etc.): The child's mother quelled his fears of the thunder.

Origin of quell

before 900; Middle English quellen, Old English cwellan to kill; akin to Old Norse kvelja to torment, German quälen to vex; cf. kill1

OTHER WORDS FROM quell

quell·a·ble, adjective quell·er, noun un·quell·a·ble, adjective un·quelled, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH quell

quail quell quill

Words nearby quell

queer street, queer-bashing, queersplain, quelea, quelimane, quell, quellung reaction, quelpart, quelque-chose, quelquechose, quemoy

Words related to quelling

annihilate, subdue, quench, crush, conquer, overcome, extinguish, stifle, silence, mitigate, appease, assuage, quiet, soothe, pacify, mollify, allay, ease, stop, overpower

Example sentences from the Web for quelling

British Dictionary definitions for quelling

quell
/ (kwɛl) /

verb (tr)

to suppress or beat down (rebellion, disorder, etc); subdue
to overcome or allay to quell pain; to quell grief

Derived forms of quell

queller, noun

Word Origin for quell

Old English cwellan to kill; related to Old Saxon quellian, Old High German quellen, Old Norse kvelja to torment