múch
/mˠuːx/
The Irish word for extinguish is múch.
múch is used to describe the act of stopping something from burning, such as a fire or stopping something from shining, such as a light.
Meaning: to stop (fire, etc.) from burning, to stop (light, etc.) from shining (verb)
How does it change in a sentence?
To use this verb in different tenses, you can use múchann sé to mean 'he/she extinguishes' in the present tense or múchadh to mean 'extinguished' in the past tense.
How do you pronounce it?
/mˠuːx/
Did you know?
- While English uses 'quench' for both fire and thirst, Irish uses múch for fire and a completely different verb for thirst.
- The word múch shares an ancient root with the idea of 'suffocating' or 'smothering' something with smoke or vapour.
- The word múch is used in the Irish phrase for 'putting out the lights' before bed, reflecting a time when this meant physically snuffing out a candle wick.
Examples in context
- Ná déan iarracht an tine a mhúchadh le huasteannDon't try to extinguish the fire with gasoline.
- Tá an stór dubh ag éirí ró-ard. Caithfidh mé an tine a mhúchadhThe black stove is getting too hot. I have to extinguish the fire.
- Múch an lasair láidir sin.Extinguish that strong flame.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “extinguish” translations and entries múch, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries múch, CC BY-SA 4.0.
