the.com/quash
The legal system's delete key — makes it as if it never happened.
means To officially reject, cancel, or put a stop to something — a court order, a rumor, a rebellion — so it no longer has force.
from From Old French quasser/casser, 'to annul or break,' which traces back to Latin quassare ('to shake violently, batter') and cassare/cassus ('void, empty'). The two Latin strands — physical smashing and legal nullity — blurred together on their way into English, which is why 'quash' can still mean both 'crush a rebellion' and 'void a court ruling.' It's a distant cousin of 'cashier' (to dismiss) and 'quash' is unrelated to 'squash,' despite the family resemblance — that one comes from a separate Latin verb, exquassare.
- court usage
- Used to void indictments, subpoenas, or convictions entirely
- etymology
- From Latin cassare, to annul or shatter
- not appeal
- Appeals argue error; quashing erases the thing outright