quell

• POS: Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

quell, v. i. [See Quail to cower.].

•  To die.  [1913 Webster]

  "Yet he did quake and quaver, like to quell."  [1913 Webster]
•  To be subdued or abated; to yield; to abate.  [1913 Webster]

  "Winter's wrath begins to quell."  [1913 Webster]

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

•  To take the life of; to kill.  Spenser.  [1913 Webster]

  "The ducks cried as [if] men would them quelle."  [1913 Webster]
•  To overpower; to subdue; to put down.  [1913 Webster]

  "The nation obeyed the call, rallied round the sovereign, and enabled him to quell the disaffected minority."  [1913 Webster]

  "Northward marching to quell the sudden revolt."  [1913 Webster]
•  To quiet; to allay; to pacify; to cause to yield or cease; as, to quell grief; to quell the tumult of the soul.  [1913 Webster]

  "Much did his words the gentle lady quell."  [1913 Webster]

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

quell, n. 

 Murder.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

quell, v.tr.
1 a crush or put down (a rebellion etc.). b reduce (rebels etc.) to submission.
2 suppress (fear, anger, etc.).

Derivative

queller n. (also in comb.).

Etymology

OE cwellan kill f. Gmc

THESAURUS

quell

allay, alleviate, annihilate, appease, asphyxiate, assuage, beat down, bend, bottle up, break, break down, bring low, bring to terms, calm, calm down, censor, choke, choke off, clamp down on, compose, conquer, cool, cork, cork up, crack down on, cradle, crush, damp down, drown, dulcify, ease, even out, extinguish, fell, flatten, gag, gentle, hold down, humble, humiliate, hush, jump on, keep down, keep under, kill, lull, master, mitigate, moderate, mollify, muzzle, overcome, overmaster, override, overwhelm, pacify, pour balm into, pour water on, prostrate, put down, put out, quash, quench, quiet, reduce, repress, rest, ride down, rock, rock to sleep, shut down on, silence, sit down on, sit on, smash, smooth, smooth down, smooth over, smoothen, smother, snuff out, soothe, squash, squelch, stabilize, stamp out, stanch, steady, stifle, still, strangle, stultify, subdue, subjugate, suffocate, suppress, throttle, trample down, trample out, trample underfoot, tranquilize, tread underfoot, tyrannize, unman, vanquish

ROGET THESAURUS

quell

Success

VB succeed, be successful, gain one's end, gain one's ends, crown with success, gain a point, attain a point, carry a point, secure a point, win a point, win an object, get there, manage to, contrive to, accomplish, do wonders, work wonders, make a go of it, come off well, come off successful, come off with flying colors, make short work of, take by storm, carry by storm, bear away the bell, win one's wings, win one's spurs, win the battle, win the day, carry the day, gain the day, gain the prize, gain the palm, have the best of it, have it all one's own way, have the game in one's owns hands, have the ball at one's feet, have one on the hop, walk over the course, carry all before one, remain in possession of the field, score a success, speed, make progress, win one's way, make one's way, work one's way, find one's way, strive to some purpose, prosper, drive a roaring trade, make profit, reap the fruits, gather the fruits, reap the benefit of, reap the harvest, strike oil, gain a windfall, make one's fortune, get in the harvest, turn to good account, turn to account, triumph, be triumphant, gain a victory, obtain a victory, gain an advantage, chain victory to one's car, nail a coonskin to the wall, surmount a difficulty, overcome a difficulty, get over a difficulty, get over an obstacle, se tirer d'affaire, make head against, stem the torrent, stem the tide, stem the current, weather the storm, weather a point, turn a corner, keep one's head above water, tide over, master, get the better of, have the better of, gain the better of, gain the best of, gain the upper hand, gain the ascendancy, gain the whip hand, gain the start of, distance, surpass, defeat, conquer, vanquish, discomfit, euchre, overcome, overthrow, overpower, overmaster, overmatch, overset, override, overreach, outwit, outdo, outflank, outmaneuver, outgeneral, outvote, take the wind out of one's adversary's sails, beat, beat hollow, rout, lick, drub, floor, worst, put down, put to flight, put to the rout, put hors de combat, put out of court, silence, quell, nonsuit, checkmate, upset, confound, nonplus, stalemate, trump, baffle, circumvent, elude, trip up, trip up the heels of, drive into a corner, drive to the wall, run hard, put one's nose out of joint, settle, do for, break the neck of, break the back of, capsize, sink, shipwreck, drown, swamp, subdue, subjugate, reduce, make the enemy bite the dust, victimize, roll in the dust, trample under foot, put an extinguisher upon, answer, answer the purpose, avail, prevail, take effect, do, turn out well, work well, take, tell, bear fruit, hit it, hit the mark, hit the right nail on the head, nick it, turn up trumps, make a hit, find one's account in.

Destruction

VB be destroyed, perish, fall to the ground, tumble, topple, go to pieces, fall to pieces, break up, crumble to dust, go to the dogs, go to the wall, go to smash, go to shivers, go to wreck, go to pot, go to wrack and ruin, go by the board, go all to smash, be all over, be all up, be all with, totter to its fall, destroy, do away with, make away with, nullify, annual, sacrifice, demolish, tear up, overturn, overthrow, overwhelm, upset, subvert, put an end to, seal the doom of, do in, do for, dish, undo, break up, cut up, break down, cut down, pull down, mow down, blow down, beat down, suppress, quash, put down, do a job on, cut short, take off, blot out, dispel, dissipate, dissolve, consume, smash, crash, quell, squash, squelch, crumple up, shatter, shiver, batter to pieces, tear to pieces, crush to pieces, cut to pieces, shake to pieces, pull to pieces, pick to pieces, laniate, nip, tear to rags, tear to tatters, crush to atoms, knock to atoms, ruin, strike out, throw over, knock down over, fell, sink, swamp, scuttle, wreck, shipwreck, engulf, ingulf, submerge, lay in ashes, lay in ruins, sweep away, erase, wipe out, expunge, raze, level with the dust, level with the ground, waste, atomize, vaporize, deal destruction, desolate, devastate, lay waste, ravage gut, disorganize, dismantle, devour, swallow up, sap, mine, blast, bomb, blow to smithereens, drop the big one, confound, exterminate, extinguish, quench, annihilate, snuff out, put out, stamp out, trample out, lay in the dust, trample in the dust, prostrate, tread under foot, crush under foot, trample under foot, lay the ax to the root of, make short work of, make clean sweep of, make mincemeat of, cut up root and branch, chop into pieces, cut into ribbons, fling to the winds, scatter to the winds, throw overboard, strike at the root of, sap the foundations of, spring a mine, blow up, ravage with fire and sword, cast to the dogs, eradicate.

Moderation

VB be moderate, keep within bounds, keep within compass, sober down, settle down, keep the peace, remit, relent, take in sail, moderate, soften, mitigate, temper, accoy, attemper, contemper, mollify, lenify, dulcify, dull, take off the edge, blunt, obtund, sheathe, subdue, chasten, sober down, tone down, smooth down, weaken, lessen, check palliate, tranquilize, pacify, assuage, appease, swag, lull, soothe, compose, still, calm, calm down, cool, quiet, hush, quell, sober, pacify, tame, damp, lay, allay, rebate, slacken, smooth, alleviate, rock to sleep, deaden, smooth, throw cold water on, throw a wet blanket over, turn off, slake, curb, tame, smooth over, pour oil on the waves, pour oil on the troubled waters, pour balm into, mattre de l'eau dans son vin, go out like a lamb, roar you as gently as any sucking dove.

Quiescence

VB be quiescent, stand still, lie still, keep quiet, repose, hold the breath, remain, stay, stand, lie to, ride at anchor, remain in situ, tarry, mark time, bring to, heave to, lay to, pull up, draw up, hold, halt, stop, stop short, rest, pause, anchor, cast to an anchor, come to an anchor, rest on one's oars, repose on one's laurels, take breath, stop, stagnate, quieta non movere, let alone, abide, rest and be thankful, keep within doors, stay at home, go to bed, dwell, settle, alight, stick, stick fast, stand like a post, not stir a peg, not stir a step, be at a stand, quell, becalm, hush, stay, lull to sleep, lay an embargo on.