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Calm vs Quell - What's the difference?

calm | quell | Related terms |

Quell is a synonym of calm.



In transitive terms the difference between calm and quell

is that calm is to make calm while quell is to suppress, to put an end to (something); to extinguish.

As an adjective calm

is peaceful, quiet, especially free from anger and anxiety.

calm

English

Adjective

(en-adj)
  • (of a person) Peaceful, quiet, especially free from anger and anxiety.
  • (of a place or situation) Free of noise and disturbance.
  • (of water) with little waves on the surface.
  • Without wind or storm.

    • Synonyms

    * See also

    Antonyms

    * (free from anger and anxiety) stressed, nervous, anxious * (free of noise and disturbance) disturbed * (without wind or storm) windy, stormy

    Derived terms

    * calm as a millpond * ice-calm

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (in a person) The state of being calm; peacefulness; absence of worry, anger, fear or other strong negative emotion.
  • (in a place or situation) The state of being calm; absence of noise and disturbance.
  • A period of time without wind.
  • * Bible, Mark iv. 39
    • The wind ceased, and there was a great calm .

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * ice-calm

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make calm.
    • to calm a crying baby
    to calm the passions
  • * Dryden
    • to calm the tempest raised by Aeolus
  • To become calm.

    • Synonyms

    * calm down, cool off, ease, pacify, quieten, soothe, subdue

    Anagrams

    * ----

    quell

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) (m), from (etyl) .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete) To kill.
    • (Spenser)
  • To subdue, to put down; to silence or force (someone) to submit.
  • * Macaulay
    • The nation obeyed the call, rallied round the sovereign, and enabled him to quell the disaffected minority.
  • * Longfellow
    • Northward marching to quell the sudden revolt.
  • To suppress, to put an end to (something); to extinguish.
    • to quell grief
    to quell the tumult of the soul
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2014 , date=December 13 , author=Mandeep Sanghera , title=Burnley 1-0 Southampton , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=However, after quelling Burnley's threat, Southampton failed to build on their growing danger culminating in Tadic's missed penalty.}}
  • (obsolete) To be subdued or abated; to diminish.
  • * Spenser
    • Winter's wrath begins to quell .
  • To die.
  • * Spenser
    • Yet he did quake and quaver, like to quell .

    Etymology 2

    (etyl) Quelle .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A spring or fountain.
    • English terms with multiple etymologies