falling sickness

American  

noun

1. epilepsy.

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falling sickness British  

noun

1. a former name (nontechnical) for epilepsy

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Etymology

Origin of falling sickness

First recorded in 1520–30

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

falling sickness

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

At these words Rustan fainted away, and the Cachemirian lord thought he was troubled with the falling sickness.

From Voltaire's Romances, Complete in One Volume by

Epilepsy, the "falling sickness," is a most difficult malady to treat even in an institution for that purpose, and it is impossible to treat it anywhere else.

From How To Write Special Feature Articles A Handbook for Reporters, Correspondents and Free-Lance Writers Who Desire to Contribute to Popular Magazines and Magazine Sections of Newspapers by Bleyer, Willard Grosvenor

The elks are said to be liable to falling sickness, and therefore fall down in convulsions when they are hunted—hence their name "eleend."

From The Voyage of the Vega round Asia and Europe, Volume I and Volume II by Leslie, Alexander, fl. 1879-1882

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