Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 11th Edition
QUELL
I. transitive verb
Etymology: Middle English, to kill, quell, from Old English cwellan to kill; akin to Old High German quellen to torture, kill, quāla torment, Lithuanian gelti to hurt
Date: 13th century
to thoroughly overwhelm and reduce to submission or passivity , quiet , pacify , queller noun
II. noun
Etymology: Middle English, from quellen to kill
Date: 15th century
slaughter , the power of quelling