spasm

• POS: Noun

CIDE DICTIONARY

spasm, n. [F. spasme, L. spasmus, Gr. , from , , to draw, to cause convulsion. Cf. Span, v. t.].

•  An involuntary and unnatural contraction of one or more muscles or muscular fibers.  [1913 Webster]

  " Spasm are usually either clonic or tonic. In clonic spasm, the muscles or muscular fibers contract and relax alternately in very quick succession. In tonic spasm, the contraction is steady and uniform, and continues for a comparatively long time, as in tetanus."  [1913 Webster]
•  A sudden, violent, and temporary effort or emotion; as, a spasm of repentance.  [1913 Webster]

Cynic spasm (Med.) See under Cynic. -- Spasm of the chest. See Angina pectoris, under Angina.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

spasm, n.
1 a sudden involuntary muscular contraction.
2 a sudden convulsive movement or emotion etc. (a spasm of coughing).
3 (usu. foll. by of) colloq. a brief spell of an activity.

Etymology

ME f. OF spasme or L spasmus f. Gk spasmos, spasma f. spao pull

THESAURUS

spasm

Jacksonian epilepsy, Rolandic epilepsy, abdominal epilepsy, abscess, access, ache, aching, acquired epilepsy, activated epilepsy, acute pain, ado, affect epilepsy, agitation, ague, akinetic epilepsy, amok, anemia, ankylosis, anoxia, apnea, apoplexy, arrest, asphyxiation, asthma, ataxia, atrophy, attack, autonomic epilepsy, backache, bite, blaze, bleeding, blennorhea, blockage, bloodless revolution, blow, boring pain, bother, botheration, bouleversement, breakdown, breakup, bumpiness, burst, bustle, cachexia, cachexy, cardiac epilepsy, cataclysm, catastrophe, charley horse, chill, chills, chorea, clean slate, clean sweep, climax, clonic spasm, clonus, cold shivers, colic, commotion, computer revolution, constipation, convulsion, cortical epilepsy, coughing, counterrevolution, cramp, cramps, crick, cursive epilepsy, cut, cyanosis, cyclone, darting pain, debacle, diarrhea, diastrophism, disaster, distress, diurnal epilepsy, dizziness, dolor, dropsy, dysentery, dyspepsia, dyspnea, eclampsia, edema, emaciation, epilepsia, epilepsia gravior, epilepsia major, epilepsia minor, epilepsia mitior, epilepsia nutans, epilepsia tarda, epilepsy, epitasis, eruption, explosion, fainting, falling sickness, fatigue, feery-fary, ferment, fever, fibrillation, fidgetiness, fit, fits and starts, flap, flare-up, flurry, fluster, flutter, flutteriness, flux, focal epilepsy, frenzy, fulgurant pain, furor, fury, fuss, fussiness, gale, girdle pain, gnawing, grand mal, grief, grip, griping, growth, gust, haute mal, hemorrhage, high blood pressure, hitch, hubbub, hullabaloo, hurricane, hurt, hydrops, hypertension, hypotension, hysterical epilepsy, icterus, ictus, indigestion, inflammation, injury, insomnia, irruption, itching, jactation, jactitation, jaundice, jerkiness, joltiness, jumping pain, kink, labored breathing, lancinating pain, larval epilepsy, laryngeal epilepsy, laryngospasm, latent epilepsy, lesion, lockjaw, low blood pressure, lumbago, maelstrom, marasmus, matutinal epilepsy, menstrual epilepsy, murderous insanity, musicogenic epilepsy, myoclonous epilepsy, nasal discharge, nasty blow, nausea, necrosis, nip, nocturnal epilepsy, occlusion, orgasm, outbreak, outburst, overthrow, overturn, pain, palace revolution, palsy, pang, paralysis, paroxysm, passion, petit mal, physiologic epilepsy, pinch, pother, prick, pruritus, psychic epilepsy, psychokinesia, psychomotor epilepsy, quake, quaking, quavering, quivering, radical change, rage, rash, reflex epilepsy, restlessness, revolt, revolution, revolutionary war, revulsion, rheum, rotatoria, sclerosis, scramble, seizure, sensory epilepsy, serial epilepsy, sexual climax, shakes, shaking, sharp pain, shivering, shivers, shock, shoot, shooting, shooting pain, shuddering, skin eruption, sneezing, sore, sore spot, spasms, spell, spurt, stab, stabbing pain, stew, stir, stitch, stoppage, storm, stress, stress of life, striking alteration, stroke, subversion, succussion, suffering, sweat, sweeping change, swirl, tabes, tabula rasa, tachycardia, tardy epilepsy, technological revolution, temblor, tempest, tender spot, tetanus, tetany, thrill, throe, throes, thromboembolism, thrombosis, tidal wave, to-do, tonic epilepsy, tonic spasm, tormen, tornado, torsion spasm, total change, transilience, traumatic epilepsy, trembling, tremulousness, trismus, tsunami, tumor, tumult, tweak, twinge, twitch, ucinate epilepsy, unquiet, upheaval, upset, upset stomach, vertigo, vibration, violent change, visitation, vomiting, vortex, wasting, whirl, whirlwind, wound, wrench

ROGET THESAURUS

spasm

Revolution

N revolution, bouleversement, subversion, break up, destruction, sudden change, radical change, sweeping organic change, change of state, phase change, quantum leap, quantum jump, clean sweep, coup d'etat, counter revolution, jump, leap, plunge, jerk, start, transilience, explosion, spasm, convulsion, throe, revulsion, storm, earthquake, cataclysm, legerdemain, unrecognizable, revolutionary.

Violence

N violence, inclemency, vehemence, might, impetuosity, boisterousness, effervescence, ebullition, turbulence, bluster, uproar, callithump, riot, row, rumpus, le diable a quatre, devil to pay, all the fat in the fire, severity, ferocity, rage, fury, exacerbation, exasperation, malignity, fit, paroxysm, orgasm, climax, aphrodisia, force, brute force, outrage, coup de main, strain, shock, shog, spasm, convulsion, throe, hysterics, passion, outbreak, outburst, debacle, burst, bounce, dissilience, discharge, volley, explosion, blow up, blast, detonation, rush, eruption, displosion, torrent, turmoil, ferment, storm, tempest, rough weather, squall, earthquake, volcano, thunderstorm, berserk, berserker, fury, dragon, demon, tiger, beldame, Tisiphone, Megaera, Alecto, madcap, wild beast, fire eater, violent, vehement, warm, acute, sharp, rough, rude, ungentle, bluff, boisterous, wild, brusque, abrupt, waspish, impetuous, rampant, turbulent, disorderly, blustering, raging, troublous, riotous, tumultuary, tumultuous, obstreperous, uproarious, extravagant, unmitigated, ravening, inextinguishable, tameless, frenzied, desperate, infuriate, furious, outrageous, frantic, hysteric, in hysterics, fiery, flaming, scorching, hot, red-hot, ebullient, savage, fierce, ferocious, fierce as a tiger, excited, unquelled, unquenched, unextinguished, unrepressed, unbridled, unruly, headstrong, ungovernable, unappeasable, immitigable, unmitigable, uncontrollable, incontrollable, insuppressible, irrepressible, orgastic, orgasmatic, orgasmic, spasmodic, convulsive, explosive, detonating, volcanic, meteoric, stormy, violently, amain, by storm, by force, by main force, with might and main, tooth and nail, vi et armis, at the point of the sword, at the point of the bayonet, at one fell swoop, with a high hand, through thick and thin, in desperation, with a vengeance, a outrance, a toute outrance, headlong, head foremost, furor arma ministrat, blown with restless violence round about the pende.

Agitation

N agitation, stir, tremor, shake, ripple, jog, jolt, jar, jerk, shock, succussion, trepidation, quiver, quaver, dance, jactitation, quassation, shuffling, twitter, flicker, flutter, turbulence, perturbation, commotion, turmoil, disquiet, tumult, tumultuation, hubbub, rout, bustle, fuss, racket, subsultus, staggers, megrims, epilepsy, fits, carphology, chorea, floccillation, the jerks, St. Vitus's dance, tilmus, spasm, throe, throb, palpitation, convulsion, disturbance, chaos, restlessness, ferment, fermentation, ebullition, effervescence, hurly-burly, cahotage, tempest, storm, ground swell, heavy sea, whirlpool, vortex, whirlwind, shaking, agitated tremulous, desultory, subsultory, saltatoric, quasative, shambling, giddy-paced, saltatory, convulsive, unquiet, restless, all of a twitter, by fits and starts, subsultorily, per saltum, hop skip and jump, in convulsions, in fits, tempete dans un verre d'eau.

Physical Pain

N physical pain, pain, suffering, sufferance, suffrance, bodily pain, physical pain, bodily suffering, physical suffering, body pain, mental suffering, dolour, ache, aching, smart, shoot, shooting, twinge, twitch, gripe, headache, stomach ache, heartburn, angina, angina pectoris, hurt, cut, sore, soreness, discomfort, malaise, cephalalgia, earache, gout, ischiagra, lumbago, neuralgia, odontalgia, otalgia, podagra, rheumatism, sciatica, tic douloureux, toothache, tormina, torticollis, spasm, cramp, nightmare, ephialtes, crick, stitch, thrill, convulsion, throe, throb, pang, colic, kink, sharp pain, piercing pain, throbbing pain, shooting pain, sting, gnawing pain, burning pain, excruciating pain, anguish, agony, torment, torture, rack, cruciation, crucifixion, martyrdom, toad under a harrow, vivisection, in pain, in a state of pain, pained, gouty, podagric, torminous, painful, aching, sore, raw, Special Sensation (1) Touch.