I. ˈkwäsh also -ȯ- transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-es )
Etymology: Middle English quassen, from Middle French quasser, casser to discharge, annul, partly from Latin quassare to shake, break into pieces and partly from Late Latin cassare to annihilate, annul, from Latin cassus empty, void, without effect; Latin cassus akin to Latin carēre to be without — more at caste
law : to put an end to : make void : abate , annul , overthrow
quash a writ
quash a service
quash an indictment
amnesty decree to quash or cut sentences of wide range of convicts — New York Times
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-es )
Etymology: Middle English quashen, from Middle French quasser, casser to break, from Latin quassare to shake, break into pieces, from quassus, past participle of quatere to shake; akin to Old English hūdenian to shake, Middle High German hotzen to set in motion, Icelandic hossa to bounce (a child) on one's knee, and perhaps to Greek passein to sprinkle
transitive verb
1. : to beat down or in pieces : dash forcibly : squash
carts going by would quash 'em — Lascelles Abercrombie
2. : to suppress or extinguish summarily and completely : crush out : subdue , quell
quash a rebellion
intransitive verb
obsolete : to make a noise of splashing
Synonyms: see crush