quench
v 1: satisfy (thirst); "The cold water quenched his thirst"
[syn: quench, slake, allay, assuage]
2: put out, as of fires, flames, or lights; "Too big to be
extinguished at once, the forest fires at best could be
contained"; "quench the flames"; "snuff out the candles"
[syn: snuff out, blow out, extinguish, quench] [ant:
ignite, light]
3: electronics: suppress (sparking) when the current is cut off
in an inductive circuit, or suppress (an oscillation or
discharge) in a component or device
4: suppress or crush completely; "squelch any sign of dissent";
"quench a rebellion" [syn: squelch, quell, quench]
5: reduce the degree of (luminescence or phosphorescence) in
(excited molecules or a material) by adding a suitable
substance
6: cool (hot metal) by plunging into cold water or other liquid;
"quench steel"
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Quench \Quench\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Quenched; p. pr. & vb. n.
Quenching.] [OE. quenchen, AS. cwencan in [=a]cwencan, to
extinguish utterly, causative of cwincan, [=a]cwincan, to
decrease, disappear; cf. AS. cw[imac]nan, [=a]cw[imac]nan, to
waste or dwindle away.]
1. To extinguish; to overwhelm; to make an end of; -- said of
flame and fire, of things burning, and figuratively of
sensations and emotions; as, to quench flame; to quench a
candle; to quench thirst, love, hate, etc.
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Ere our blood shall quench that fire. --Shak.
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The supposition of the lady's death
Will quench the wonder of her infamy. --Shak.
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2. To cool suddenly, as heated steel, in tempering.
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Syn: To extinguish; still; stifle; allay; cool; check.
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