squelchn.
/skwɛltʃ/, /skwɛlʃ/, U.S. /skwɛltʃ/ 1. figurative.1685 F. Spence tr. A. Varillas Άνεκδοτα Ὲτερουιακα 301 The house of Medici now seem'd humbled by so terrible a squelch, that it cou'd not..get up again.
a. A heavy crushing fall or blow acting on a soft body; the sound produced by this.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > non-resonance > [noun] > non-resonant impact sound > soft impact
lunchc1440
squelch1620
squash1654
dowf1818
the world > movement > impact > striking > striking with specific degree of force > [noun] > striking heavily > a heavy blow > on a yielding surface
squelch1620
swash1789
1620 T. Shelton tr. M. de Cervantes Don Quixote III. iv. 25 The Stakes fail'd, and I got a good Squelch upon the Ground.
1656 Earl of Monmouth tr. T. Boccalini Ragguagli di Parnasso i. xliii. 59 Giving their Adversaries such deadly squelches as they shall never rise again.
1719 J. Ozell tr. F. M. Misson Mem. Trav. Eng. 25 A Turn of the [Bull's] Horn..puts him in Danger of a damnable Squelch when he comes down.
1766 H. Brooke Fool of Quality II. xi. 192 His shoulders and head came with a squelch to the earth.
1829 F. Marryat Naval Officer II. ix. 298 I heard a heavy squelch and a howl.
1854 H. Miller Schools & Schoolmasters (1858) xxi. 467 I heard a peculiar sound,—a squelch, if I may employ such a word.
b. figurative. A disconcerting surprise.
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the mind > mental capacity > expectation > surprise, unexpectedness > [noun] > cause of surprise > and disconcerting
squelch1815
1815 C. Lamb Corr. 278 Just such a cold squelch as going down a plausible turning and suddenly reading ‘No thoroughfare’.
c. A devastating argument or retort; a crushing blow. slang (originally U.S.).
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > testing > refutation, disproof > [noun] > instance of > sufficient to silence
a stopping (also choking) oyster?1499
squelch1942
1942 L. V. Berrey & M. Van den Bark Amer. Thes. Slang §11/3 Something conclusive or decisive (as an argument, answer, blow, or the like),..squasher, squelch, squelcher.
1964 Pix (Australia) 4 Aug. Pix has added to its large collection of famous squelches with contributions from readers.
1977 Amer. Speech 1975 50 155 If I use humdinger, I have to face the derisive remark of my elder son, ‘Nobody used that word since Theodore Roosevelt died’.., or the equally crushing squelch of the younger one, ‘Papa, that is not even funny.’
2. A thing or mass that has the appearance of having been squelched or crushed. Also figurative.
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the world > space > shape > condition of being broad in relation to thickness > [noun] > something flattened by pressure
squelch1837
squash1888
1837 T. Carlyle Crit. & Misc. Ess. (1888) V. 195 A mangled squelch of gore, confusion and abomination.
1849 D. G. Rossetti Let. to W. M. Rossetti 24 Sept. Your surgeon..is a wretched sneak—quite a sniggering squelch of a fellow.
3. The sound made by a liquid when subjected to sudden or intermittent pressure.
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the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > sound of water > [noun] > squelch
squishing1647
squelching1709
squish-squash1821
slushing1864
squelch1895
squidge1897
squish1902
1895 J. C. Snaith Dorothy Marvin xxviii 'Twas sickening to feel the squelch of the blood at your sword point.
1897 T. C. Allbutt et al. Syst. Med. III. 476 To the expert physician the sounds are not closely alike; that of gastralgia is a squelch.
4. Electronics. A circuit that suppresses all input signals except ones of a predetermined character; spec. in Radio, a circuit that suppresses the noise output of a receiver when the signal strength falls below a predetermined level. Frequently attributive.
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society > communication > telecommunication > radio communications > radio equipment > [noun] > radio set > devices for preventing interference
wave trap1875
interference preventer1905
x-stopper1906
trap1927
squelch1937
the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > electronics > electronic phenomena > electronic circuit > [noun] > other electronic circuits
closed circuit1827
magnetic circuit1853
earth return1869
control circuit1892
Armstrong1916
rejector circuit1919
rejector1920
acceptor1921
biotron1921
stabilizer1924
ring modulator1936
squelch1937
load1943
multiar1946
clamp1947
integrating circuit1948
matrix1948
AND gate1959
biocircuit1963
1937 F. E. Terman Radio Engin. (ed. 2) xiii. 561 In tuning a sensitive receiver provided with automatic volume control, the noise output between stations is high because, when no signal is being received, the A.V.C. system increases the sensitivity of the receiver to the maximum possible value. Arrangements for eliminating this interstation noise are variously known as Q circuits, quieting systems, squelch circuits, etc.
1945 FM & Televison Apr. 31/1 The feature of this squelch circuit is that sharp pulses of interference do not open the squelch... It has been found that a 1-microvolt signal can open the squelch, but noise pulses of considerable amplitude do not.
1950 K. Henney Radio Engin. Handbk. (ed. 4) xvii. 822 A signal of 140 db (0·1 μu) is sufficient to open the squelch of a police receiver.
1959 H. N. Gant Mobile Radio Telephones ii. 51 There are long periods when the receiver produces only noise... To prevent this annoyance the more complex receivers often incorporate a muting or squelch circuit to cut off the receiver output in the absence of the signal.
1976 CB Mag. June 64/1 (advt.) the transceiver is combined through a switchable standby circuit to interrupt the music when the adjustable squelch level is broken.
1981 Daily Tel. 5 Nov. 2 (advt.) Ultra compact, yet has variable squelch to cut signal ‘chopping’.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1915; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
squelchv.
/skwɛltʃ/, /skwɛlʃ/, U.S. /skwɛltʃ/ 1. reflexive.1859 Blackwood's Mag. 85 302/1 Each man squelching himself..in the corner that best pleased him.figurative.1862 T. Carlyle Hist. Friedrich II of Prussia III. xii. xi. 345 Ambitious persons often..get squelched to pieces, by bringing the Twelve Labours of Hercules on Unherculean backs.
a. transitive. To fall, drop, or stamp upon (something soft) with crushing or squashing force; to crush in this way.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > shape > condition of being broad in relation to thickness > make broad in relation to thickness [verb (transitive)] > make thin and flat by pressure
squata1300
to-squatc1325
quasha1387
squash1565
squeeze1601
squelch1625
squeegee1885
the world > space > shape > condition of being broad in relation to thickness > make broad in relation to thickness [verb (reflexive)] > make thin and flat by pressure
squelch1625
1625 T. Middleton Game at Chæss v. iii The Fat Bishop hath so overlaid me, So squelch'd and squeezed me, I've no verjuice left in me!
a1627 J. Fletcher & T. Middleton Nice Valour v. i, in F. Beaumont & J. Fletcher Comedies & Trag. (1647) sig. Xxxv/2 Oh 'twas your luck and mine to be squelch'd Mr. Has stamp'd my very Puddings into Pancakes.
1716 E. Baynard Health 29 Besides, your Gutts if Fat, it Squelches, And causes Fumes, and sowr Belches.
1825 W. Hone Every-day Bk. (1826) I. 1198 His [sc. a lion's] left leg stood upon another dog squelched by his weight.
1850 C. Kingsley Alton Locke (rev. ed.) xxxvi. 321 My cousin, as he turned away, thrust the stone back with his foot, and squelched me flat.
1880 Daily Tel. 9 Dec. The smallest of the family of steam hammers will squelch it as thin as a six~pence at a single blow.
b. figurative. To squash or crush; to put down or suppress thoroughly or completely. Now chiefly U.S.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > humility > humiliation > humiliate [verb (transitive)]
anitherOE
fellOE
lowc1175
to lay lowc1225
to set adownc1275
snuba1340
meekc1350
depose1377
aneantizea1382
to bring lowa1387
declinea1400
meekenc1400
to pull downc1425
avalec1430
to-gradea1440
to put downc1440
humble1484
alow1494
deject?1521
depress1526
plucka1529
to cut (rarely to cast down) the comb of?1533
to bring down1535
to bring basec1540
adbass1548
diminish1560
afflict1561
to take down1562
to throw down1567
debase1569
embase1571
diminute1575
to put (also thrust) a person's nose out of jointc1576
exinanite1577
to take (a person) a peg lower1589
to take (a person) down a peg (or two)1589
disbasea1592
to take (a person) down a buttonhole (or two)1592
comb-cut1593
unpuff1598
atterr1605
dismount1608
annihilate1610
crest-fall1611
demit1611
pulla1616
avilea1617
to put a scorn on, upon1633
mortify1639
dimit1658
to put a person's pipe out1720
to let down1747
to set down1753
humiliate1757
to draw (a person's) eyeteeth1789
start1821
squabash1822
to wipe a person's eye1823
to crop the feathers of1827
embarrass1839
to knock (also take, etc.) (a person) off his or her perch1864
to sit upon ——1864
squelch1864
to cut out of all feather1865
to sit on ——1868
to turn down1870
to score off1882
to do (a person) in the eye1891
puncture1908
to put (a person) in (also into) his, her place1908
to cut down to size1927
flatten1932
to slap (a person) down1938
punk1963
the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > destroy [verb (transitive)] > crush, stifle, or overwhelm (feelings, etc.)
shendOE
whelvec1000
allayOE
ofdrunkenc1175
quenchc1175
quashc1275
stanchc1315
quella1325
slockena1340
drenchc1374
vanquishc1380
stuffa1387
daunt?a1400
adauntc1400
to put downa1425
overwhelmc1425
overwhelvec1450
quatc1450
slockc1485
suppressa1500
suffocate1526
quealc1530
to trample under foot1530
repress1532
quail1533
suppress1537
infringe1543
revocate1547
whelm1553
queasom1561
knetcha1564
squench1577
restinguish1579
to keep down1581
trample1583
repel1592
accable1602
crush1610
to wrestle down?1611
chokea1616
stranglea1616
stifle1621
smother1632
overpower1646
resuppress1654
strangulate1665
instranglea1670
to choke back, down, in, out1690
to nip or crush in the bud1746
spiflicate1749
squasha1777
to get under1799
burke1835
to stamp out1851
to trample down1853
quelch1864
to sit upon ——1864
squelch1864
smash1865
garrotte1878
scotch1888
douse1916
to drive under1920
stomp1936
stultify1958
1864 Temperance Spectator Dec. 184 We readily concede that the doctrine..has been utterly squelched by the Doctor's weighty arguments.
1872 H. W. Beecher Christian World Pulpit I. 207/3 The time is coming when you cannot squelch a barbarian horde in Pennsylvania without having it known throughout..the world.
1878 Huxley in L. Huxley Life & Lett. T. H. Huxley (1900) I. xxxiii. 488 It would be so nice to squelch that pompous impostor.
1890 Spectator 8 Nov. The movement for ‘reciprocity’ in Canada..will be squelched at once.
1910 Dial. Notes 3 455 Squelch, v. tr., to snub, to turn down. ‘She squelched him.’
1936 L. C. Douglas White Banners vi. 135 An inquisitive maid-of-all-work who might try to be chummy unless promptly squelched.
1960 Wall St. Jrnl. 15 Mar. 14 Recent attempts by other domestic unions to hurtle national boundaries have been squelched.
1978 H. Wouk War & Remembrance xxv. 252 That'll squelch him, I assure you, and he'll be as quiet as a mouse.
2. intransitive.† a. To make squelchy sounds. Obsolete. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > sound of water > make sound of or like water [verb (intransitive)] > squelch > make squelchy sound
squelch1709
1709 Brit. Apollo 3–5 Aug. Still Coughing or Squelching,..[She] is all that is ugly and old.
b. To fall with a squelch.
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the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > downward motion > falling > fall [verb (intransitive)] > with a squelch
quelch1659
squelch1755
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > sound of water > make sound of or like water [verb (intransitive)] > squelch > fall with squelch
squelch1755
1755 S. Johnson Dict. Eng. Lang. at To Squab To fall down plump or flat; to squelsh or squash.
1825 J. Britton Beauties Wilts. III. 378 Squelch, to fall heavily.
c. To emit a squelch or squelches; to spout in squelches.
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the world > matter > liquid > liquid which has been emitted > emit liquid [verb (intransitive)] > squelch
squelch1834
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > sound of water > make sound of or like water [verb (intransitive)] > squelch
chorkc1440
squisha1825
squelch1834
squish-squash1836
quelch1866
sqush1929
1834 J. Wilson Noctes Ambrosianae lxv, in Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. May 867 Their sodden corpses squelchin' at every spang o' the flyin' dragons.
1892 R. L. Stevenson & L. Osbourne Wrecker v. 68 My boots began to squelch and pipe along the restaurant floors.
1905 J. H. McCarthy Dryad 263 Water was squelching and oozing and bubbling over his horse's fetlocks.
d. To walk or tread heavily in water or wet ground, or with water in the shoes, so as to make a splashing sound.
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society > travel > aspects of travel > going on foot > go on foot [verb (intransitive)] > through liquid or mud
wadec1220
waselc1394
ford1675
slunk1728
slop1783
plodge1787
spatter1806
slutch1821
slumper1829
squelch1849
slush1853
splodge1896
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > sound of water > make sound of or like water [verb (intransitive)] > squelch > move with squelching
squelch1849
slush1853
squish1952
1849 A. R. Smith Pottleton Legacy xxiv. 254 You'd..pass all your time in squelching about soppy fields.
1851 N. Hawthorne Jrnl. 31 Mar. in Amer. Notebks. (1972) v. 306 He squelching along all the way with his India-rubbers full of water.
1881 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. July 110 In another moment [we] were squelching over the sloppy ground.
3. transitive. Electronics. = quiet v. 5.
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society > communication > telecommunication > radio communications > communicate by radio [verb (transitive)] > methods of operation
quench1910
heterodyne1923
squelch1950
the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > electronics > electronic phenomena > processes > [verb (transitive)] > reduce gain of receiver
quiet1950
squelch1950
1950 K. Henney Radio Engin. Handbk. (ed. 4) xvii. 822 This voltage drop biases the first audio amplifier beyond cutoff, thus squelching the set.
1976 S9 (N.Y.) May–June 107/1 The light..then remains on (although the receiver may be squelched, it will then pick up all calls on the channel until it is reset by the firefighter).
Derivatives
squelched adj.
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the mind > emotion > humility > humiliation > [adjective]
dejectc1528
broken1535
abased1554
come1564
downfallen1575
snubbed1583
crestfallen1589
humiliate1593
plume-plucked1597
low-broughta1599
chop-fallen1604
chap-fallen1608
dejected1608
humbleda1616
unprided1628
diminished1667
mortified1710
small1771
humiliated1782
squelched1837
grovelleda1845
sat-upon1873
comedown1886
deflated1894
zapped1962
the world > space > shape > condition of being broad in relation to thickness > [adjective] > made broad and flat > by pressure
squat1600
quasheda1652
squatteda1678
squelched1837
squashed1856
squeegeed1904
1837 T. Carlyle Crit. & Misc. Ess. (1840) V. 98 I behold thee..a squelched Putrefaction, here on London pavements.
1867 F. Harrison Autobiogr. Mem. (1911) I. xviii. 343 Unmistakably..the squelched rats will squeal.
1914 ‘High Jinks, Jr.’ Choice Slang 18 Squelched, ignored, insulted, ‘sat upon’.
1928 Sat. Evening Post (Philadelphia) 7 Jan. 20/2 Apparently squelched, she made no reply.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1915; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
squelchadv.
With or as with a squelch or heavy squash.
ΚΠ
1773 R. Graves Spiritual Quixote III. xi. v. 202 When he was got about seven or eight feet high, he made a sudden pause; and squelch he came down again.
1820 Glenfergus I. iv. 93 The maid lay squelch on the floor, rolled together, and blubbering and bawling hideously.
1851 G. Borrow Lavengro lxxxviii He lost his wind, and falling squelch on the ground, do you see, he lost the battle.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1915; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
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n.1620
v.1625
adv.1773