Quellings

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. An act of suppressing or calming something, such as feelings of unrest or agitation
2. a method of controlling a situation to restore peace or order
3. a process of alleviating tensions or conflicts through authoritative intervention

Etymology: "Quellings" is the plural of "quelling," a form of the verb "quell," which means to put down or suppress something, such as a rebellion or a surge of emotion. The plural turns the act into a set of separate instances, as in the quellings of several uprisings. "Quell" traces back to Old English "cwellan," meaning to kill or put to death, a sense that is now archaic. Over time the violent sense faded, and the word came to mean subduing or overpowering something through force, and later through calming or restraint. That shift from killing to pacifying is why the word now fits feelings of unrest as easily as political disorder.

Synonyms: suppressions, subduings, conquests, overcomings, restrainings

Antonyms: incitements, uprisings, rebellions, provocations