spasm

spasm
/spaz"euhm/, n.
1. Pathol. a sudden, abnormal, involuntary muscular contraction, consisting of a continued muscular contraction (tonic spasm) or of a series of alternating muscular contractions and relaxations (clonic spasm).
2. any sudden, brief spell of great energy, activity, feeling, etc.
[1350-1400; ME spasme < L spasmus < Gk spasmós convulsion, deriv. of spân to draw a sword or cord, wrench (off), convulse]
Syn. 2. fit, storm, flash, spurt.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Synonyms:
, (as of the muscles) / , ,


Look at other dictionaries:

  • spasm — SPASM, spasme, s.n. Contracţie involuntară bruscă (şi violentă) a unui muşchi sau a unui grup de muşchi; convulsie. ♦ Grimasă. [pl. şi: spasmuri] – Din fr. spasme. Trimis de Bogdan, 13.09.2007. Sursa: DEX 98  SPASM s. (med.) 1. v. convulsie. 2.… …   Dicționar Român

  • Spasm — Spasm, n. [F. spasme, L. spasmus, Gr. ?, from ?, ?, to draw, to cause convulsion. Cf. {Span}, v. t.] 1. (Med.) An involuntary and unnatural contraction of one or more muscles or muscular fibers. [1913 Webster] Note: Spasm are usually either… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • spasm — [spaz′əm] n. [ME spasme < MFr < L spasmus < Gr spasmos < span, to draw, pull, wrench: see SPAN1] 1. a sudden, convulsive, involuntary muscular contraction: a tonic spasm is persistent and sustained, and a clonic spasm is one of a… …   English World dictionary

  • spasm — [ spæzəm ] noun 1. ) count or uncount a sudden movement in which one of your muscles becomes tight and painful: Athletes know that cold weather can induce muscle spasms. His muscles went into spasm and he couldn t straighten up. 2. ) count a… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • spasm — index outbreak, outburst Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • spasm — paroxysm, convulsion, *fit, attack, access, accession …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • spasm — [n] twitch, fit access, attack, burst, contraction, convulsion, eruption, frenzy, jerk, outburst, pain, paroxysm, seizure, throe, yank; concepts 185,728 …   New thesaurus

  • spasm — ► NOUN 1) a sudden involuntary muscular contraction or convulsive movement. 2) a sudden brief spell of an activity or sensation. ORIGIN Greek spasmos, from span pull …   English terms dictionary

  • Spasm — For the 1993 metal album, see Spasm (album). Spasmodic redirects here. For the British literary movement, see Spasmodic poets. Muscle spasm ICD 10 R25.2 ICD 9 728.85 …   Wikipedia

  • spasm — noun ADJECTIVE ▪ sudden ▪ involuntary, uncontrollable ▪ involuntary spasms of the nervous system ▪ intense, violent ▪ …   Collocations dictionary

  • spasm — an·gi·o·spasm; bleph·a·ro·spasm; bron·cho·spasm; car·dio·spasm; chi·ro·spasm; grapho·spasm; la·ryn·go·spasm; py·lo·ro·spasm; spasm; vaso·spasm; …   English syllables

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