The process of rapidly cooling heated metal, glass, or other material by immersion in a liquid, usually water or oil, in order to harden or set its structure.

After forging the axe head, the blacksmith gave it a quick quench in oil.

A sudden loss of superconductivity in a superconducting magnet or circuit, causing it to become resistive and heat up.

The experiment had to be halted when a quench occurred in one of the accelerator's main magnets.

quenchverb

To satisfy (thirst) by drinking.

He quenched his thirst with a glass of cold water.

To extinguish (a fire).

Firefighters worked tirelessly to quench the flames.

To suppress or put an end to (a feeling or emotion).

She tried to quench her anger before speaking.

To cool (hot metal) by plunging into water or oil.

The blacksmith quenched the heated iron in oil to harden it.