paroxysm

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: par=ox=ysm

CIDE DICTIONARY

paroxysm, n. [F. paroxysme, Gr. , fr. to sharpen, irritate; para` beside, beyond + to sharpen, from sharp.].

•  The fit, attack, or exacerbation, of a disease that occurs at intervals, or has decided remissions or intermissions.  Arbuthnot.  [1913 Webster]
•  Any sudden and violent emotion; spasmodic passion or action; a convulsion; a fit.  [1913 Webster]

  "The returning paroxysms of diffidence and despair."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

paroxysm, n.
1 (often foll. by of) a sudden attack or outburst (of rage, laughter, etc.).
2 a fit of disease.

Derivative

paroxysmal adj.

Etymology

F paroxysme f. med.L paroxysmus f. Gk paroxusmos f. paroxuno exasperate (as PARA-(1), oxuno sharpen f. oxus sharp)

THESAURUS

paroxysm

Jacksonian epilepsy, Rolandic epilepsy, abdominal epilepsy, access, acquired epilepsy, activated epilepsy, acute pain, affect epilepsy, akinetic epilepsy, amok, apoplexy, arrest, attack, autonomic epilepsy, bite, blaze, blockage, boring pain, breakup, burst, cardiac epilepsy, cat fit, cataclysm, charley horse, climax, clonic spasm, clonus, conniption, conniption fit, convulsion, cortical epilepsy, cramp, cramps, crick, cursive epilepsy, cyclone, darting pain, diastrophism, disaster, diurnal epilepsy, duck fit, eclampsia, epilepsia, epilepsia gravior, epilepsia major, epilepsia minor, epilepsia mitior, epilepsia nutans, epilepsia tarda, epilepsy, epitasis, eruption, explosion, falling sickness, fever, fit, fit of anger, fit of temper, flare-up, focal epilepsy, frenzy, fulgurant pain, furor, fury, gale, girdle pain, gnawing, grand mal, grip, griping, gust, haute mal, hitch, hurricane, hysterical epilepsy, ictus, irruption, jumping pain, kink, lancinating pain, larval epilepsy, laryngeal epilepsy, laryngospasm, latent epilepsy, lockjaw, matutinal epilepsy, menstrual epilepsy, murderous insanity, musicogenic epilepsy, myoclonous epilepsy, nip, nocturnal epilepsy, occlusion, orgasm, outbreak, outburst, overthrow, pang, petit mal, physiologic epilepsy, pinch, prick, psychic epilepsy, psychokinesia, psychomotor epilepsy, quake, rage, reflex epilepsy, rotatoria, seizure, sensory epilepsy, serial epilepsy, sexual climax, sharp pain, shoot, shooting, shooting pain, spasm, spell, stab, stabbing pain, stitch, stoppage, storm, stroke, tantrum, tardy epilepsy, temblor, temper tantrum, tempest, tetanus, tetany, thrill, throe, throes, thromboembolism, thrombosis, tidal wave, tonic epilepsy, tonic spasm, tormen, tornado, torsion spasm, traumatic epilepsy, trismus, tsunami, tweak, twinge, twitch, ucinate epilepsy, upheaval, visitation, whirlwind, wrench

ROGET THESAURUS

paroxysm

Excitability

N excitability, impetuosity, vehemence, boisterousness, turbulence, impatience, intolerance, nonendurance, irritability, itching, wincing, disquiet, disquietude, restlessness, fidgets, fidgetiness, agitation, trepidation, perturbation, ruffle, hurry, fuss, flurry, fluster, flutter, pother, stew, ferment, whirl, buck fever, hurry-skurry, thrill, state of excitement, fever of excitement, transport, passion, excitement, flush, heat, fever, heat, fire, flame, fume, blood boiling, tumult, effervescence, ebullition, boiling over, whiff, gust, story, tempest, scene, breaking out, burst, fit, paroxysm, explosion, outbreak, outburst, agony, violence, fierceness, rage, fury, furor, furore, desperation, madness, distraction, raving, delirium, phrensy, frenzy, hysterics, intoxication, tearing passion, raging passion, anger, fascination, infatuation, fanaticism, Quixotism, Quixotry, tete montee, excitable, easily excited, in an excitable state, high-strung, irritable, impatient, intolerant, feverish, febrile, hysterical, delirious, mad, moody, maggoty- headed, unquiet, mercurial, electric, galvanic, hasty, hurried, restless, fidgety, fussy, chafing, startlish, mettlesome, high-mettled, skittish, vehement, demonstrative, violent, wild, furious, fierce, fiery, hot-headed, madcap, overzealous, enthusiastic, impassioned, fanatical, rabid, rampant, clamorous, uproarious, turbulent, tempestuous, tumultuary, boisterous, impulsive, impetuous, passionate, uncontrolled, uncontrollable, ungovernable, irrepressible, stanchless, inextinguishable, burning, simmering, volcanic, ready to burst forth, volatile, excited, exciting, Int, pish!, pshaw!, noli me tangere, filled with fury, rapt, inspir'd, maggiore fretta minore atto.

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.

Resentment

N resentment, displeasure, animosity, anger, wrath, indignation, exasperation, bitter resentment, wrathful indignation, pique, umbrage, huff, miff, soreness, dudgeon, acerbity, virulence, bitterness, acrimony, asperity, spleen, gall, heart-burning, heart-swelling, rankling, ill humor, bad humor, ill temper, bad temper, irascibility, ill blood, revenge, excitement, irritation, warmth, bile, choler, ire, fume, pucker, dander, ferment, ebullition, towering passion, acharnement, angry mood, taking, pet, tiff, passion, fit, tantrums, burst, explosion, paroxysm, storm, rage, fury, desperation, violence, fire and fury, vials of wrath, gnashing of teeth, hot blood, high words, scowl, sulks, affront, provocation, offense, indignity, grudge, crow to pluck, bone to pick, sore subject, casus belli, ill turn, outrage, Furies, Eumenides, buffet, slap in the face, box on the ear, rap on the knuckles, angry, wrath, irate, ireful, wrathful, cross, Achillean, sulky, bitter, virulent, acrimonious &c (discourteous), violent, warm, burning, boiling, boiling over, fuming, raging, foaming, foaming at the mouth, convulsed with rage, offended, waxy, acharne, wrought, worked up, indignant, hurt, sore, set against, fierce, wild, rageful, furious, mad with rage, fiery, infuriate, rabid, savage, relentless, flushed with anger, flushed with rage, in a huff, in a stew, in a fume, in a pucker, in a passion, in a rage, in a fury, in a taking, in a way, on one's high ropes, up in arms, in high dudgeon, angrily, in the height of passion, in the heat of passion, in the heat of the moment, Int, tantaene animis coelestibus irae!, marry come up!, zounds!, 'sdeath!, one's blood being up, one's back being up, one's monkey being up, fervens difficili bile jecur, the gorge rising, eyes flashing fire, the blood rising, the blood boiling, haeret lateri lethalis arundo, beware the fury of a patient man, furor arma ministrat, ira furor brevis est, quem Jupiter vult perdere dementat prius, What, drunk with choler?.