vbl. sb. [f. QUENCH v. + -ING1.]
1. The action of the vb. in various senses.
c. 1220. Bestiary, 207. Ðat is soule drink, sinnes quenching.
c. 1290. S. Eng. Leg., I. 315/556. Þer is þanne selde wete to maken quenchingue of fuyre.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., V. xxx. (1495), 141. Quenchyng and deynge of the herte is in the nayles moste openly schewed.
1544. Phaër, Regim. Life (1553), I ij. Stinking thinges, as assa fetida … and the quenchyng out of candels.
1664. Marvell, Corr., Wks. 1872–5, II. 176. Engins, such as are used frequently in the quenching of great fires.
1730. Savery, in Phil. Trans., XXXVI. 307. Steel hardened by quenching.
a. 1864. Hawthorne, Amer. Note-bks. (1879), I. 222. A quenching of the sunshine.
b. spec. The process of throwing water upon the molten metal in a refining-hearth or crucible, so that it may be removed in disks or ‘rosettes.’
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., 1847/2, 1984/1.
2. attrib. and Comb. as quenching-test, -tub.
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., 1847/2. Quenching-tub.
1879. Cassell’s Techn. Educ., IV. 373/1. These conditions provide for the so called ‘quenching’ and bending tests being applied to a piece cut from each plate and bar.
So Quenching ppl. a., that quenches.
1382. Wyclif, Wisd. xix. 19. Water forȝat his quenchende kinde.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., X. ix. (1495), 379. Cinis is lytyll asshes lefte of quenchynge and sparklynge matere.
1559. Mirr. Mag., George Plantag., f iv. Like quenching blastes, which oft reuive the flame.
1611. Bible, Wisd. xix. 20. The water forgat his owne quenching nature.
