quelling 是动词 quell 的现在分词/动名词形式,常指平息、镇压(骚乱、反抗、争议等),或抑制(强烈情绪、恐慌等),使之停止或变弱。(quell 还有“熄灭/压制(火、声音等)”等较次常见用法。)
/ˈkwɛlɪŋ/
The police were sent to help with quelling the riot.
警方被派去协助平息骚乱。
Her calm voice played a key role in quelling the panic that spread through the crowd after the alarm sounded.
警报响起后,人群中蔓延的恐慌在很大程度上因她冷静的声音而被压下去。
源自中古英语 quellen(杀死、使终止),进一步可追溯到古英语 cwellan(杀死、处死)。词义从“使生命终结”逐渐引申为“使某事终止/停止”,现代常用于“平息动乱、压制情绪或反对声音”等语境。