quench Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb satisfy (thirst)
    allay; slake; assuage.
    • The cold water quenched his thirst
  2. verb put out, as of fires, flames, or lights
    snuff out; blow out; extinguish.
    • Too big to be extinguished at once, the forest fires at best could be contained
    • quench the flames
    • snuff out the candles
  3. verb 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. verb suppress or crush completely
    squelch; quell.
    • squelch any sign of dissent
    • quench a rebellion
  5. verb reduce the degree of (luminescence or phosphorescence) in (excited molecules or a material) by adding a suitable substance
  6. verb cool (hot metal) by plunging into cold water or other liquid
    • quench steel

WordNet

Quench transitive verb
Etymology
OE. quenchen, AS. cwencan in acwencan, to extinguish utterly, causative of cwincan, acwincan, to decrease, disappear; cf. AS. cwinan, acwinan, to waste or dwindle away.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Quenched ; present participle & verbal noun Quenching
Definitions
  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.
    Ere our blood shall quench that fire. Shak.
    The supposition of the lady's death Will quench the wonder of her infamy. Shak.
  2. To cool suddenly, as heated steel, in tempering. Syn. -- To extinguish; still; stifle; allay; cool; check.
Quench intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To become extinguished; to go out; to become calm or cool. R.
    Dost thou think in time She will not quench! Shak.

Webster 1913