Dictionary
Find
in
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Translations

Click to move up the list of words
extra-
extra-base hit
extra cover
extra end
extra point
extra time
extra-virgin olive oil
extracanonical
extracellular
extrachromosomal
extracorporeal
extracranial
extract
extraction
extractive
extractor
extractor fan
Click to move down the list of words
Also available:

World English Dictionary
Dictionnaire Français

extinguish

ex·tin·guish [ ik stíng gwish ] (past and past participle ex·tin·guished, present participle ex·tin·guish·ing, 3rd person present singular ex·tin·guish·es)


transitive verb 
Definition:
 
1. put out fire or light: to put out something that is burning or giving off light
The last of the oil-well fires was finally extinguished.

2. end something: to take away or bring to an end something such as a hope, feeling, custom, or practice
As the days went by, hope for more survivors was extinguished.

3. destroy somebody or something: to kill or destroy somebody or something completely
They intended to extinguish the enemy by force of numbers.

4. outshine: to outshine or eclipse somebody or something by having greater brilliance
beauty that extinguishes all others by comparison

5. law pay debt: to pay off a debt

6. law make something invalid: to make something no longer valid or applicable

7. psychology decrease response: to cause a decrease in a behavioral response created by conditioning because of a lack of reinforcement

[Early 16th century. < Latin exstinguere "quench completely" < stinguere "quench, prick"]

ex·tin·guish·a·ble adjective
ex·tin·guish·ment noun
Advertisement

© 2009 Microsoft