Conquassation

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The process of crushing or grinding something into smaller pieces by applying force
2. An action that involves breaking down material by pressing or pounding it strongly
3. The act of reducing something to fragments or powder through vigorous compression or pounding

Etymology: The Romans had a verb, "quatere," meaning to shake or shatter. Its frequentative form, "quassare," meant to shake repeatedly, and adding the intensifying prefix "com-" produced "conquassare," to shake violently or batter to pieces. The noun "conquassatio" came from that verb, and English took it directly from Latin, keeping the sense of violent shaking that breaks things apart. The same root lies behind several more familiar words. "Percussion" and "concussion" both come from "quatere" through related Latin verbs, each built with a different prefix. "Quash" entered English through Old French from "quassare," where it originally meant to crush or break, and its later sense of suppressing something came from that idea of forcible breaking down.