quash
- to put down or suppress completely; quell; subdue: to quash a rebellion.
- to make void, annul, or set aside (a law, indictment, decision, etc.).
Origin of quash
Synonyms
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comRelated Words
suppress, squash, repress, crush, quell, invalidate, annul, revoke, reverse, veto, void, undo, vacate, squelch, repeal, overrule, rescind, scrunch, annihilate, subdueExamples from the Web for quash
Contemporary Examples
Putin had to put on a show with lots of lights and dancing, but quash the gay factor.
Fergie did nothing to quash rumors of remarriage when asked about the controversial subject this weekend, reports Tom Sykes.
Fergie Remarriage Rumors Heat Up as She Says, ‘Andrew Will Always Be My Prince!’Tom Sykes
September 30, 2013
Egyptian forces have also launched a series of coordinated operations in Sinai in an attempt to quash rising insurgency.
But despite rumors of a Game of Thrones theme, Parker was quick to quash the speculation.
It all seems perfectly choreographed to quash the assumption that she is no more than a little flirt.
Historical Examples
Come, Quash, into the bush, and help me to look at the other scratches and dress them.
The Rover of the AndesR.M. Ballantyne
But, then, he had had to quash the thought that suggested it.
It Never Can Happen AgainWilliam De Morgan
Challis tried to reason away its witchery—to quash its jurisdiction.
It Never Can Happen AgainWilliam De Morgan
Under those circumstances no other course was open to us but to quash them.
The Seven Curses of LondonJames Greenwood
Vide mouse, and a hundred more roots, that might quash this rule.
quash
- to subdue forcefully and completely; put down; suppress
- to annul or make void (a law, decision, etc)
- to reject (an indictment, writ, etc) as invalid
Word Origin
Word Origin and History for quash
v.
"to make void, annul," early 14c., from Old French quasser, casser "to annul, declare void," and directly from Medieval Latin quassare, alteration of Late Latin cassare, from cassus "null, void, empty" (see caste (n.)).
Meaning "to break, crush," is early 14c., from Old French quasser, casser "to break, smash, injure, harm, weaken," from Latin quassare "to shatter," frequentative of quatere (past participle quassus) "to shake," from PIE root *kwet- "to shake" (cf. Greek passein "to sprinkle," Lithuanian kuteti "to shake up," Old Saxon skuddian "to move violently," German schütteln "to shake," Old English scudan "to hasten").
The words have influenced each other in form and sense since Medieval Latin and now are somewhat grown together. Related: Quashed; quashing.