quash

[kwosh]

verb (used with object)

1. to put down or suppress completely; quell; subdue.

   to quash a rebellion.

   Synonyms: repress, quench, squash, crush

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

quash

/ kwɒʃ /

verb

1. to subdue forcefully and completely; put down; suppress

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

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

Other Word Forms

• unquashed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of quash¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of quash¹

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

Example Sentences

But after serving four years in prison, he appealed and his convictions were quashed in 2016 because of the way the jury was directed in his initial trial.

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The appeal was quashed but Mokbel obtained a shorter prison sentence.

Read more on Barron's

She realized she could either quash my energy or channel it positively, even though she really didn’t want me to act professionally when I was a child.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Noble was convicted in July of assaulting three people and initially given a suspended jail term, but, following an appeal, his sentence was quashed and he was sentenced to nine years in prison.

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A decade after the commission was made into one of the most secretive in America, the court — under Newby’s leadership — would quash disciplinary actions against two Republican judges.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• annul 
• clamp down on 
• crack down on www.thesaurus.com
• invalidate 
• overrule 
• repeal 
• rescind 
• reverse 
• revoke 
• set aside 
• squelch 
• undo 
• vacate 
• veto 
• void