[quell] vt [ME, to kill, quell, fr. OE cwellan to kill; akin to OHG quellen to torture, kill, quala torment, Lith gelti to hurt] (13c) 1: to thoroughly overwhelm and reduce to submission or passivity "~ a riot"
2: quiet, pacify "~ fears" -- quell.er n
[2]quell n [ME, fr. quellen to kill] (15c) 1 obs: slaughter
2. archaic: the power of quelling