Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Extinguish \Ex*tin"guish\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Extinguished}; p
   pr. & vb. n. {Extinguishing}.] [L. extinguere, exstinguere;
   ex out + stinguere to quench. See {Distinguish}, {Finish}.]
   1. To quench; to put out, as a light or fire; to stifle; to
      cause to die out; to put an end to; to destroy; as, to
      extinguish a flame, or life, or love, or hope, a pretense
      or a right.

            A light which the fierce winds have no power to
            extinguish.                           --Prescott.

            This extinguishes my right to the reversion.
                                                  --Blackstone.

   2. To obscure; to eclipse, as by superior splendor.

            Natural graces that extinguish art.   --Shak
      .

Source : WordNet®

extinguish
     v 1: put an end to; kill; "The Nazis snuffed out the life of many
          Jewish children" [syn: {snuff out}]
     2: put out, as of fires, flames, or lights; "Too big to be
        extinguished at once, the forest fires at best could be
        contained"; "quench the flames"; "snuff out the candles"
        [syn: {snuff out}, {blow out}, {quench}] [ant: {ignite}]
     3: extinguish by crushing; "stub out your cigar" [syn: {stub
        out}, {crush out}, {press out}]
     4: kill in large numbers; "the plague wiped out an entire
        population" [syn: {eliminate}, {annihilate}, {eradicate},
        {wipe out}, {decimate}, {carry off}]