Extinguish
/ɪkˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/
Definitions
2 meaningsTo cause a fire or light to cease burning or shining.
/ɪkˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/
To put out a fire or light.
The firefighters managed to extinguish the forest fire after several hours.
💡 Simply: Like when you blow out birthday candles! It means to stop something from burning or shining, like a fire or a light.
👶 For kids: To make a fire or light go away and stop burning or shining.
More Examples
Before leaving, please remember to extinguish all the candles.
How It's Used
"Firefighters worked tirelessly to extinguish the blaze."
"Please extinguish the candles before leaving the room."
To cause something to cease to exist; to invalidate or cancel.
/ɪkˈstɪŋɡwɪʃ/
To destroy or invalidate something.
The company managed to extinguish its debts.
💡 Simply: It can also mean to make something disappear completely, like wiping away a debt or a hope.
👶 For kids: To make something go away completely, like an idea or a feeling.
More Examples
The news extinguished any hope they had of reconciliation.
How It's Used
"The debt was extinguished by the payment."
"Their hope was extinguished by the bad news."
From Middle English extinguishen, from Old French estaindre (to extinguish, put out), from Latin exstinguere (to put out, quench), from ex- (out) + stinguere (to quench, extinguish).
The word has been used since the 14th century, primarily in the context of putting out fires and later, figuratively, to mean to destroy or put an end to something.
Memory tip
Imagine *extinguishing* a candle—it’s gone!
Word Origin
"to put out, quench"