verb

quench

kwehnch

Quench (verb) means to satisfy thirst, or more broadly, a strong desire. Example: “A cold glass of water quenched his thirst.”

verb

To satisfy thirst, or more broadly, a strong desire.

"A cold glass of water quenched his thirst."

"Nothing could quench her curiosity about the old house."

To put out a fire or extinguish a flame.

"Firefighters worked for hours to quench the blaze."

"He quenched the candle with his fingers."

To rapidly cool hot metal by plunging it into water or oil.

"The blacksmith quenched the glowing blade in a barrel of water."

"Quenching the steel too quickly can make it brittle."

How to use quench

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo satisfy thirst or desire, or to put out fire or cool hot metal.

Common pairings

quench your thirst quench a fire quench steel

Word forms

quenched past tense, quent past tense, quenches plural, quenches singular

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A cold glass of water _____ his thirst.

Etymology

From Old English cwencan, related to a Germanic root for extinguishing.

Origin: Old English

Synonyms

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quell assuage squelch extinguish slake allay blow out snuff out

Related words

still calm destroy delay delete generate satisfy burke

Frequently asked questions

What does “quench” mean?

The word “quench” means to satisfy thirst, or more broadly, a strong desire. In plain terms, to satisfy thirst or desire, or to put out fire or cool hot metal.

How do you pronounce “quench”?

“Quench” is pronounced kwehnch (/kwɛnt͡ʃ/ in IPA).

How do you use “quench” in a sentence?

Here is “quench” used in a sentence: “A cold glass of water quenched his thirst.”

What part of speech is “quench”?

“Quench” is a verb.

Where does the word “quench” come from?

The word “quench” comes from Old English. From Old English cwencan, related to a Germanic root for extinguishing.

How many meanings does “quench” have?

“Quench” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to satisfy thirst, or more broadly, a strong desire.

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