In the following sentence, a blank has to be filled with the most appropriate word: “The High Court judge ____________ the orders passed by the district court.” Choose the correct alternative that best completes the sentence.

Introduction / Context:
This vocabulary question assesses your understanding of legal terminology frequently used in newspapers and court reports. The sentence refers to a High Court judge taking action regarding orders from a district court. You must choose the verb that correctly describes the judge setting aside those orders in legal language.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The sentence is “The High Court judge ____________ the orders passed by the district court.”
• The options are “quashed”, “squashed”, “killed”, and “rented”.
• The context is clearly legal, involving court orders.

Concept / Approach:
In legal usage, when a higher court sets aside, cancels, or declares something like an order or decision to be invalid, the standard verb is “quash”. For example, courts “quash an order”, “quash an FIR”, or “quash a conviction”. The option “squashed” refers to physically crushing something or to colloquial uses, and “killed” or “rented” are completely inappropriate for legal orders. Therefore, the correct choice must be “quashed”.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the domain: this is a legal sentence about a High Court judge and a lower court's orders. Step 2: Recall the legal term: higher courts often “quash” orders or proceedings, meaning they cancel or nullify them. Step 3: Try “quashed” in the sentence: “The High Court judge quashed the orders passed by the district court.” This reads naturally and matches common legal reporting. Step 4: Test “squashed”: “The High Court judge squashed the orders...” sounds informal and slangy, and is not standard legal wording. Step 5: Consider “killed” and “rented”: neither verb is used with “orders” in legal texts and would be clearly incorrect. Step 6: Therefore, the correct answer is “quashed”.

Verification / Alternative check:
If you read legal news articles or judgments, you frequently find sentences like “The Supreme Court quashed the order of the High Court” or “The High Court quashed the criminal proceedings”. The word “quash” has become a fixed part of legal English. Substituting any of the other options would either introduce slang or completely distort the meaning.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• squashed: Means physically crushed, as in “He squashed the bug”. Used informally, it is not the standard legal term for cancelling court orders.
• killed: Refers to ending life or, figuratively, to stopping an idea, but it is not used in formal legal documents to describe setting aside orders.
• rented: Means to pay for temporary use of something. It has no connection with the legal procedure of cancelling or nullifying orders.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse “quash” and “squash” because they sound similar. Remember that “quash” belongs to formal and especially legal vocabulary, while “squash” is mostly used for physical actions or casual speech. Linking “quash” with news about court decisions is a useful memory aid.

Final Answer:
The correct word to complete the sentence is quashed, giving “The High Court judge quashed the orders passed by the district court.”