[syn: quell, stay, appease]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Quell \Quell\, v. t. [OE. quellen to kill, AS. cwellan,
causative of cwelan to die; akin to OHG. quellen to torment,
Icel. kvelja. See Quail to cower.]
1. To take the life of; to kill. [Obs.] --Spenser.
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The ducks cried as [if] men would them quelle.
--Chaucer.
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2. To overpower; to subdue; to put down.
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The nation obeyed the call, rallied round the
sovereign, and enabled him to quell the disaffected
minority. --Macaulay.
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Northward marching to quell the sudden revolt.
--Longfellow.
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3. To quiet; to allay; to pacify; to cause to yield or cease;
as, to quell grief; to quell the tumult of the soul.
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Much did his words the gentle lady quell. --Spenser.
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Syn: to subdue; crush; overpower; reduce; put down; repress;
suppress; quiet; allay; calm; pacify.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Quell \Quell\, n.
Murder. [Obs.] --Shak.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Quell \Quell\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Quelled; p. pr. & vb. n.
Quelling.] [See Quail to cower.]
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1. To die. [Obs.]
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Yet he did quake and quaver, like to quell.
--Spenser.
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2. To be subdued or abated; to yield; to abate. [R.]
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Winter's wrath begins to quell. --Spenser.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
quell
v 1: suppress or crush completely; "squelch any sign of
dissent"; "quench a rebellion" [syn: squelch, quell,
quench]
2: overcome or allay; "quell my hunger" [syn: quell, stay,
appease]