Standard Lemma guide

quash

verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /kwɒʃ/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /kwɑʃ/
  • US, dialectal: /kwɔʃ/
  • rhymes with -ɒʃ
  • rhymes with -ɑːʃ
  • CMU ARPABET: K W AO1 SH Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To defeat decisively, to suppress.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The army quashed the rebellion.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To crush or dash to pieces.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To void or suppress (a subpoena, decision, etc.).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: law

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

put down by force or intimidation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The government quashes any attempt of an uprising
  • China keeps down her dissidents very efficiently
  • The rich landowners subjugated the peasants working the land

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: repress, keep down, subdue, subjugate, reduce

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: oppress, suppress, crush

5

verb

Meaning 5

declare invalid

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The contract was annulled
  • void a plea

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: invalidate, annul, void, avoid, nullify

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: cancel, strike down

Narrower terms: break, stet

History

Etymology

From Middle English quaschen, quasshen, cwessen, quassen, from Old French quasser, from Latin quassāre, under the influence of cassō (“to annul”), from Latin quatiō (“to shake”) Cognate with Dutch kwetsen (“to hurt, injure”), German quetschen (“to crush, squash”), Spanish quejar (“to complain”).

Across languages

Translations

37 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: потушавам (potušavam) — to defeat forcibly
  • Czech: potlačit — to defeat forcibly
  • Dutch: onderdrukken — to defeat forcibly
  • Dutch: smoren — to defeat forcibly
  • Finnish: tukahduttaa — to defeat forcibly
  • Finnish: kukistaa — to defeat forcibly
  • Georgian: ჩახშობა (čaxšoba) — to defeat forcibly
  • Georgian: განადგურება (ganadgureba) — to defeat forcibly
  • Italian: cassare — to defeat forcibly
  • Italian: soffocare — to defeat forcibly
  • Italian: reprimere — to defeat forcibly
  • Polish: tłumić — to defeat forcibly
  • Romanian: zdrobi — to defeat forcibly
  • Russian: сокруша́ть (sokrušátʹ) — to defeat forcibly
  • Spanish: aplastar — to defeat forcibly
  • Spanish: derrotar — to defeat forcibly
  • Bulgarian: отменям (otmenjam) — to void or suppress (a subpoena, decision)
  • Catalan: cassar — to void or suppress (a subpoena, decision)
  • Czech: zrušit — to void or suppress (a subpoena, decision)
  • Czech: anulovat — to void or suppress (a subpoena, decision)
  • Dutch: vernietigen — to void or suppress (a subpoena, decision)
  • Dutch: ongeldig verklaren — to void or suppress (a subpoena, decision)
  • Finnish: kumota — to void or suppress (a subpoena, decision)
  • French: supprimer — to void or suppress (a subpoena, decision)
  • French: annuler — to void or suppress (a subpoena, decision)
  • Georgian: გაუქმება (gaukmeba) — to void or suppress (a subpoena, decision)
  • Georgian: ანულირება (anulireba) — to void or suppress (a subpoena, decision)
  • Italian: annullare — to void or suppress (a subpoena, decision)
  • Italian: invalidare — to void or suppress (a subpoena, decision)
  • Italian: cancellare — to void or suppress (a subpoena, decision)
  • Italian: cassare — to void or suppress (a subpoena, decision)
  • Polish: unieważniać — to void or suppress (a subpoena, decision)
  • Portuguese: anular — to void or suppress (a subpoena, decision)
  • Portuguese: cassar — to void or suppress (a subpoena, decision)
  • Romanian: suprima — to void or suppress (a subpoena, decision)
  • Russian: отменять (otmenjatʹ) — to void or suppress (a subpoena, decision)
  • Spanish: anular — to void or suppress (a subpoena, decision)