See squelch in Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus II
verb
To bring to an end forcibly as if by imposing a heavy weight:
choke off, crush, extinguish, put down, quash, quell, quench, squash, suppress. Idiom: put the lid on. See continue, winTo hold (something requiring an outlet) in check:
burke, choke (back), gag, hold back, hold down, hush (up), muffle, quench, repress, smother, stifle, strangle, suppress, throttle. (Informal) sit on (or upon). See restraint
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