falling sickness

American  

noun

1. epilepsy.

---

falling sickness British  

noun

1. a former name (nontechnical) for epilepsy

---

Etymology

Origin of falling sickness

First recorded in 1520–30

Example Sentences

Seizures before the spinning potter's wheel were taken as a sign of "the falling sickness," the Roman name for epilepsy.

From Time Magazine Archive

"You don't mean to say you've got the falling sickness," said Captain Johns.

From Tales Of Hearsay by Conrad, Joseph

The man, to frighten away the passengers, and enable the grave citizen to creep in unobserved, exclaims, that the man had the falling sickness!

From Calamities and Quarrels of Authors by Disraeli, Isaac

Any doctor at all should be able, and well able, to cure the falling sickness.

From The Unicorn from the Stars and Other Plays by Gregory, Lady

It is what I bid you to tell him—that it was the falling sickness.

From The Unicorn from the Stars and Other Plays by Gregory, Lady