spasm

[ spaz-uhm ]
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noun
  1. Pathology. 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.

verb (used without object)
  1. to undergo a spasm or spasms: Her eyesight had changed, and tests showed the muscles that allow the eye to focus were spasming.

Origin of spasm

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English spasme, spasom, from Old French (e)spasme and Latin spasmus, from Greek spasmós “convulsion,” derivative of spân “to draw (a sword), pull out, tear out, suck in, slurp down”

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British Dictionary definitions for spasm

spasm

/ (ˈspæzəm) /


noun
  1. an involuntary muscular contraction, esp one resulting in cramp or convulsion

  2. a sudden burst of activity, emotion, etc

Origin of spasm

1
C14: from Latin spasmus, from Greek spasmos a cramp, from span to tear

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012