To quash something is to stop it from happening. If you quash a protest, you're preventing it from happening.
The government tried to quash the protest by using force.
The teacher tried to quash the student's protests by confiscating their phones.
verb
To defeat decisively.
verb
To crush or dash to pieces.
verb
To void or suppress (a subpoena, decision, etc.).
noun
The action of quashing something.
1
The conviction was quashed and a retrial ordered.
2
The Americans moved quickly to quash the revolt.
3
However, on appeal the Court of Cassation quashed the decision.
4
The court duly quashed the conviction of dangerous driving.
5
The patent was challenged by the Indian Government to quash the patent.
6
Several of the crew were wounded and the nascent mutiny was quashed.
7
I hope there is no move to quash the issue by removing the photo.
8
After 63 days of bitter fighting, the Germans quashed the insurrection.
9
Bracegirdle won his case in the courts and the deportation order was quashed.
10
Britain in turn yearned to quash the trade of smuggled tea to America.