verb
quash
kwosh
verb
1
To officially cancel or reject a legal decision, charge, or order.
"The appeals court quashed the conviction."
"A judge quashed the subpoena on procedural grounds."
2
To forcefully put an end to something, such as a rebellion or rumor.
"The government moved quickly to quash the uprising."
"She quashed the rumors with a single tweet."
How to Use Quash
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo officially cancel something, or to forcefully stop it.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "squash," which means to physically crush something flat; quash is about stopping or canceling, usually in a legal or authoritative sense.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
quash a conviction
quash rumors
quash a rebellion
Word Forms
quashed past tense, quashes singular
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The appeals court _____ the conviction.
Etymology
From Old French quasser, from Latin quatere, "to shake," blended with Latin cassare, "to annul."