Vanquish

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ˈvæŋkwɪʃ/

Definitions

1. To defeat thoroughly in battle or competition, or to overcome and subdue completely
2. To overcome and suppress an adversary or opposing force through decisive action
3. To thoroughly overcome and suppress an opponent or obstacle through decisive force or superior strength

Etymology: The verb "vanquish" comes to English from Old French, where the verb "veincre" meant to conquer or overcome. Its ancestor is the Latin "vincere," which carried the same core sense of winning a contest or prevailing over an opponent. That Latin root is also behind a family of English words such as "victor," "victory," and "convince," the last of which originally meant to overpower or prove someone wrong rather than persuade them gently. English borrowed the word in Middle English in forms such as "venquysshen" and "vaynquisshen," which were conjugated forms of the French verb. The spelling drifted over the centuries, and the "n" that now sits before the "q" is a trace of that Old French stem. Over time the spelling settled into the familiar "vanquish," but the sense stayed remarkably steady: to defeat someone thoroughly, leaving them no room to recover.

Synonyms: defeat, conquer, overcome, subdue, crush

Antonyms: surrender, yield, submit, lose, capitulate