quash

[ kwosh ]
See synonyms for quash on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object)
  1. to put down or suppress completely; quell; subdue: to quash a rebellion.

  2. to make void, annul, or set aside (a law, indictment, decision, etc.).

Origin of quash

1
1300–50; Middle English quashen to smash, break, overcome, suppress <Old French quasser, in part <Latin quassāre to shake (frequentative of quatere to shake; cf. concussion); in part <Late Latin cassāre to annul, derivative of Latin cassus empty, void

Other words for quash

Other words from quash

  • un·quashed, adjective

Words Nearby quash

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use quash in a sentence

  • The low hiss of steam, the faint roar of the fires on the grates, the quish-quash of the pumps, were music to his ears.

    Red Dynamite | Roy J. Snell
  • This was an opportunity to lead her into an admission which might immediately quash all of the grounds of the complaint.

    Lightnin' | Frank Bacon
  • Hence it was necessary for the State and Church to quash their indictment before God could do the same.

  • After all it was precipitated as a fine film, and you can quash it and even slice it up without any trouble.

    Tillie | Roger Phillips Graham
  • I recognized the legal rights of her husband, but no ruffling Daniel should quash the undeniable rights of Yours Truly.

    Desert Dust | Edwin L. Sabin

British Dictionary definitions for quash

quash

/ (kwɒʃ) /


verb(tr)
  1. to subdue forcefully and completely; put down; suppress

  2. to annul or make void (a law, decision, etc)

  1. to reject (an indictment, writ, etc) as invalid

Origin of quash

1
C14: from Old French quasser, from Latin quassāre to shake

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012