quenching

2 definitions found

quenching - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Quench \Quench\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Quenched; p. pr. & vb. n.
     Quenching.] [OE. quenchen, AS. cwencan in [=a]cwencan, to
     extinguish utterly, causative of cwincan, [=a]cwincan, to
     decrease, disappear; cf. AS. cw[imac]nan, [=a]cw[imac]nan, to
     waste or dwindle away.]
     1. To extinguish; to overwhelm; to make an end of; -- said of
        flame and fire, of things burning, and figuratively of
        sensations and emotions; as, to quench flame; to quench a
        candle; to quench thirst, love, hate, etc.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Ere our blood shall quench that fire. --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The supposition of the lady's death
              Will quench the wonder of her infamy. --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To cool suddenly, as heated steel, in tempering.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Syn: To extinguish; still; stifle; allay; cool; check.
          [1913 Webster]

quenching - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  quenching
      n 1: the act of extinguishing; causing to stop burning; "the
           extinction of the lights" [syn: extinction,
           extinguishing, quenching]