What does quenching mean

I understand that the general definition of the word means rapid cooling,
but it obviously has another definition when applied to star formation.

Any help?
Google isn't providing me with any answer :(

In this case copying and pasting from google the first arxive paper that comes up isn't going to help the person asking the question. Sorry for that.

Since I actually know what that means I will tell you.

Quenching, applied to the context that you are referring to, simply means that star formation is observed to be completely terminated. It is really long to explain why this important, but it has to with the overall evolution of galaxies; a subject in cosmology that is really in the gray area. There are models such as the hierarchical model, but nobody knows exact mechanisms that drive the evolution of galaxies and the observed shut off of star formation.

Also, observed quenching of star formation really doesn't have anything to do with the lack of fuel. It gets pretty gnarly complicated fast, but it mostly the unknown processes of galactic mergers and active galactic nuclei.

Research galaxy evolution and cosmology.

http://arxiv.org/abs/1002.0004

You have Google. That's a great resource.

Essentially it means that there is no more material, gas and dust, available to make new stars and planetary systems from. The water faucet (dust and gas) has been turned off or the water company has shut the water off to your house because you haven't paid your bill for three months.

You need a cold beer maybe.