Quell
/kwɛl/
verbB2
Definition
To quell means to stop something bad or strong from continuing. It is often used when talking about stopping feelings like fear or anger, or stopping problems like fights or protests. It usually involves effort or action to make things calm or peaceful again.
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See It in Action
To stop or reduce strong emotions or feelings
- •She tried to quell her nervousness before the speech.
- •The mother sang softly to quell the baby's cries.
- •He quelled his anger with deep breathing.
To stop or control a dangerous or difficult situation, often by force
- •The police quelled the protest quickly to prevent violence.
- •The government took action to quell the rebellion.
- •Firefighters quelled the wildfire after several hours.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "quell" like "stop," but more about calming or controlling something difficult or strong
- ✓Picture a firefighter putting out a big fire to stop it from spreading and causing more damage
- ✓It's the feeling when you take a deep breath to calm down after feeling very angry or scared
- ✓Sounds like "quell" → imagine a quiet bell ringing to signal peace and calm after noise or chaos
- ✓Think of police or leaders who work to quell a riot by making order and peace return
- ✓NOT like "ignore" (pretend problem is not there), "quell" means actively stopping or calming the problem
- ✓NOT like "comfort" (only making someone feel better), "quell" often means stopping the cause of bad feelings or trouble
- ✓NOT like "end" (finish completely), "quell" can mean to quiet or reduce something without fully ending it
Try Other Words
- •Calm: to make peaceful or quiet (Use when focusing on emotions or feelings)
- •Suppress: to put an end to something by force or control (Use when talking about forcefully stopping protests, feelings, or actions)
- •Put down: to stop or end something, often a rebellion or disturbance (Use in informal or historical contexts)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no clear prefix or suffix, root word "quell")
- •Etymology: From Old English "cwellan," meaning to kill or destroy
- •Historical development: Originally meant to kill or destroy, now mostly means to stop or calm something strong or dangerous
- •Modern usage: Used mostly to describe calming strong emotions or stopping trouble or violence, often with effort or force
Reflect & Connect
•When is it better to quell a problem gently rather than with force?
•Can you think of a time when you needed to quell your own feelings? How did you do it?
Fill in the blanks
1.The teacher tried to quell the students' excitement ___ the test was about to start.
2.To quell the angry crowd, the leader spoke ___ and clearly.
3.Firefighters worked hard to quell the fire before it ___ the whole forest.
4.She quelled her fear by ___ deep breaths and focusing on calm thoughts.
5.The government used the army to quell the rebellion, showing that ___ was necessary.
6.Instead of ignoring the problem, they decided to quell it ___ and quickly.
7.When emotions run high, it can be hard to quell ___ without help or time.