extinguish

Everyday

1. To extinguish a fire or light is to put it out so it stops burning or shining. tree →
2. (formal) To end or destroy something such as hope. tree →

In the lessons

Used in fire safety: «fire extinguisher», «extinguish the candle», «extinguish cigarettes». In science, a fire needs heat, fuel and oxygen; removing one extinguishes it. It tells the reader that a flame or light was stopped.

Examples

• Firefighters extinguished the blaze in an hour. tree →
• Please extinguish all candles before bed. tree →
• A fire blanket can extinguish a small pan fire. tree →
• Never use water to extinguish an oil fire. tree →
• The bad news extinguished her hopes. tree →
• Smokers must extinguish cigarettes here. tree →

Note

Formal; everyday talk says «put out». Noun: extinguisher (a fire extinguisher). Safety: on a pan of burning oil, never throw water; turn off the heat and cover it. Spelling: ex-tin-guish.

In Jewish tradition

Here it means to put out, as God darkening the stars and sun when a mighty ruler is brought down.

Interpretation. The tradition reads this as a picture of the fall of Pharaoh and of Egypt, shown as the darkening of the heavens.

Examples

• And when I shall extinguish thee, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof black; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light. (Prophets EZK.32.7, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Formal; everyday talk says «put out». Noun: extinguisher (a fire extinguisher). Safety: on a pan of burning oil, never throw water; turn off the heat and cover it. Spelling: ex-tin-guish.