Quell

Pronunciation: /kwɛl/

Definitions of quell

verb to suppress or extinguish completely

Example Sentences

A1 The teacher tried to quell the students' excitement before the field trip.

A2 The police officer managed to quell the protest before it turned violent.

B1 The manager had to quell the rumors spreading around the office.

B2 The new security measures helped quell any concerns about safety in the building.

C1 The government's efforts to quell the rebellion were met with mixed results.

C2 The CEO's speech was able to quell any doubts investors had about the company's future.

Examples of quell in a Sentence

formal The police were able to quell the riot before it escalated further.

informal I tried to quell my nerves before the big presentation.

slang He quelled the rumors by setting the record straight.

figurative She used meditation to quell the storm of emotions within her.

Grammatical Forms of quell

• past tense: quelled
• plural: quell
• comparative: more quell
• superlative: most quell
• present tense: quells
• future tense: will quell
• perfect tense: have quelled
• continuous tense: quelling
• singular: quell
• positive degree: quell
• infinitive: to quell
• gerund: quelling
• participle: quelled

Origin and Evolution of quell

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'quell' originated from Middle English 'quellen' which came from Old English 'cwellan' meaning to kill, murder, or destroy.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the meaning of 'quell' shifted from primarily referring to killing or destroying to also include suppressing or calming something, such as a rebellion or disturbance.