quell

Meanings

Verb

• To subdue, put down, or silence (someone or something); to force (someone) to submit.
• To suppress, to put an end to (something); to extinguish.
• To kill.
• To be subdued or abated; to diminish.
• To die.

Noun

• A subduing.
• A source, especially a spring.
• An emotion or sensation which rises suddenly.

Origin

• From Middle English quellen, from Old English cwellan ("to kill"), from Proto-Germanic *kwaljaną ("to make die; kill"). Cognate with German quälen ("to torment; agonise; smite"), Swedish kvälja ("to torment"), Icelandic kvelja ("to torture; torment"). Compare also Old Armenian կեղ ("sore, ulcer"), Old Church Slavonic жаль ("pain"). See also kill, which may be its doublet.
• From Middle English *quelle (suggested by the verb quellen), from Old English cwylla, *cwielle, from Proto-Germanic *kwellǭ ("well; spring"). Compare German Quelle.