Quash

Quash is a verb with several related senses. In general English, it means to suppress, extinguish, or put an end to something, especially by force or authority. It can apply to rumors, dissent, or protests, as in quashing a rebellion or quashing rumors.

In legal usage, quash means to nullify or void a legal act or proceeding. A court can quash a writ, an indictment, a subpoena, or a conviction. A motion to quash asks a court to declare the target document or proceeding invalid or unenforceable. The effect is to cancel the legal instrument or process rather than to alter its merits in a separate ruling. For example, the court quashed the subpoena means the subpoena was declared legally invalid. In practice, a quashed verdict is set aside, and the case may be retried or the charge dismissed, depending on the circumstances and jurisdiction.

Etymology: The term derives from Old French quasser, meaning to crush or break, and entered English in the medieval period. The modern legal sense reflects its broader root idea of rendering something broken or void.

Usage notes: In everyday language, quash is used primarily in the sense of suppressing or stopping something, rather than simply denying it. In legal contexts, it is a technical term for nullifying a document or proceeding, rather than a merits-based reversal of a decision.

See also: Writ, Indictment, Subpoena, Motion to quash, Appeal.