quell

¹quell

verb \ˈkwel\

Definition of QUELL

transitive verb

1

: to thoroughly overwhelm and reduce to submission or passivity <quell a riot>

2

: quiet, pacify <quell fears>

— quell·er noun

Examples of QUELL

1. <the National Guard was called in to help quell the late-night disturbances downtown>
2. <the principal held up her hand to quell the students so they could hear the urgent announcement>

Origin of QUELL

Middle English, to kill, quell, from Old English cwellan to kill; akin to Old High German quellen to torture, kill, quāla torment, Lithuanian gelti to hurt

First Known Use: 13th century

Related to QUELL

Synonyms: clamp down (on), crack down (on), crush, put down, quash, repress, silence, slap down, snuff (out), squash, squelch, subdue, suppress, sit on

Related Words: douse (also dowse), extinguish, put out, quench; smother, stifle, strangle, throttle; annihilate, decimate, demolish, desolate, destroy, devastate, nuke, rub out, ruin, smash, waste, wreck; exterminate, obliterate, wipe out; conquer, dominate, overcome, overpower, overwhelm, subdue, subjugate, vanquish

Near Antonyms: abet, aid, assist, back, help, prop up, support; foment, incite, instigate, provoke, stir, whip (up); advance, cultivate, encourage, forward, foster, further, nourish, nurture, promote

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Rhymes with QUELL

bel, bell, belle, cel, cell, dell, dwell, el, ell, fell, gel, Hel, hell, jell, knell, l, mell, sell, shell, smell, snell, spell, swell, tell, well, yell