QUENCH

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does quench mean? 

• QUENCH (verb)
  The verb QUENCH has 6 senses:

1. satisfy (thirst)

2. put out, as of fires, flames, or lights

3. 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. suppress or crush completely

5. reduce the degree of (luminescence or phosphorescence) in (excited molecules or a material) by adding a suitable substance

6. cool (hot metal) by plunging into cold water or other liquid

  Familiarity information: QUENCH used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• QUENCH (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they quench    ... he / she / it quenches   
Past simple: quenched   
Past participle: quenched   
-ing form: quenching   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Satisfy (thirst)

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Synonyms:

allay; assuage; quench; slake

Context example:

The cold water quenched his thirst

Hypernyms (to "quench" is one way to...):

conform to; fill; fit; fulfil; fulfill; meet; satisfy (fill, satisfy or meet a want or need or condtion ro restriction)

"Quench" entails doing...:

consume; have; ingest; take; take in (serve oneself to, or consume regularly)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Put out, as of fires, flames, or lights

Classified under:

Verbs of raining, snowing, thawing, thundering

Synonyms:

blow out; extinguish; quench; snuff out

Context example:

snuff out the candles

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "quench"):

stub (extinguish by crushing)

douse; put out (put out, as of a candle or a light)

black out (obliterate or extinguish)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

quenching (the act of extinguishing; causing to stop burning)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Electronics: suppress (sparking) when the current is cut off in an inductive circuit, or suppress (an oscillation or discharge) in a component or device

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "quench" is one way to...):

conquer; stamp down; subdue; suppress (bring under control by force or authority)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Suppress or crush completely

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

quell; quench; squelch

Context example:

quench a rebellion

Hypernyms (to "quench" is one way to...):

conquer; stamp down; subdue; suppress (bring under control by force or authority)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 5

Meaning:

Reduce the degree of (luminescence or phosphorescence) in (excited molecules or a material) by adding a suitable substance

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "quench" is one way to...):

bring down; cut; cut back; cut down; reduce; trim; trim back; trim down (cut down on; make a reduction in)

Domain category:

natural philosophy; physics (the science of matter and energy and their interactions)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 6

Meaning:

Cool (hot metal) by plunging into cold water or other liquid

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

quench steel

Hypernyms (to "quench" is one way to...):

chill; cool; cool down (make cool or cooler)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

 Context examples 

The first of those sorrows which are sent to wean us from the earth had visited her, and its dimming influence quenched her dearest smiles.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

We supped and camped at the very edge of the cliff, quenching our thirst with two bottles of Apollinaris which were in one of the cases.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The whole consciousness of my life lorn, my love lost, my hope quenched, my faith death-struck, swayed full and mighty above me in one sullen mass.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

One thing, however, rather quenched the vanities.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

As to the waiter's familiarity, it was quenched as if it had never been.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

The circumstances are of great delicacy, and every precaution has to be taken to quench what might grow to be an immense scandal and seriously compromise one of the reigning families of Europe.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I can find a cure for this, thought he; now I will milk my cow and quench my thirst: so he tied her to the stump of a tree, and held his leathern cap to milk into; but not a drop was to be had.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Eight others were stationed with leather water-bags to quench any fire-arrows which might come aboard, while others were sent up the mast, to lie along the yard and drop stones or shoot arrows as the occasion served.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It was clear when the two men faced each other that Wilson had made himself up for mischief, and meant to force the fighting and maintain the lead which he had gained, but that grey gleam was not quenched yet in the veteran’s eyes, and still the same smile played over his grim face.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The heat I had contracted by coming very near the flames, and by labouring to quench them, made the wine begin to operate by urine; which I voided in such a quantity, and applied so well to the proper places, that in three minutes the fire was wholly extinguished, and the rest of that noble pile, which had cost so many ages in erecting, preserved from destruction.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)