Spasm

Spasm
Spasm Spasm, n. [F. spasme, L. spasmus, Gr. ?, from ?, ?, to draw, to cause convulsion. Cf. {Span}, v. t.] 1. (Med.) An involuntary and unnatural contraction of one or more muscles or muscular fibers. [1913 Webster]

Note: 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]

2. 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}. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Synonyms:
, (as of the muscles) / , ,


Look at other dictionaries:

  • spasm — SPASM, spasme, s.n. Contracţie involuntară bruscă (şi violentă) a unui muşchi sau a unui grup de muşchi; convulsie. ♦ Grimasă. [pl. şi: spasmuri] – Din fr. spasme. Trimis de Bogdan, 13.09.2007. Sursa: DEX 98  SPASM s. (med.) 1. v. convulsie. 2.… …   Dicționar Român

  • spasm — [spaz′əm] n. [ME spasme < MFr < L spasmus < Gr spasmos < span, to draw, pull, wrench: see SPAN1] 1. a sudden, convulsive, involuntary muscular contraction: a tonic spasm is persistent and sustained, and a clonic spasm is one of a… …   English World dictionary

  • spasm — [ spæzəm ] noun 1. ) count or uncount a sudden movement in which one of your muscles becomes tight and painful: Athletes know that cold weather can induce muscle spasms. His muscles went into spasm and he couldn t straighten up. 2. ) count a… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • spasm — index outbreak, outburst Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • spasm — paroxysm, convulsion, *fit, attack, access, accession …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • spasm — [n] twitch, fit access, attack, burst, contraction, convulsion, eruption, frenzy, jerk, outburst, pain, paroxysm, seizure, throe, yank; concepts 185,728 …   New thesaurus

  • spasm — ► NOUN 1) a sudden involuntary muscular contraction or convulsive movement. 2) a sudden brief spell of an activity or sensation. ORIGIN Greek spasmos, from span pull …   English terms dictionary

  • Spasm — For the 1993 metal album, see Spasm (album). Spasmodic redirects here. For the British literary movement, see Spasmodic poets. Muscle spasm ICD 10 R25.2 ICD 9 728.85 …   Wikipedia

  • spasm — noun ADJECTIVE ▪ sudden ▪ involuntary, uncontrollable ▪ involuntary spasms of the nervous system ▪ intense, violent ▪ …   Collocations dictionary

  • spasm — an·gi·o·spasm; bleph·a·ro·spasm; bron·cho·spasm; car·dio·spasm; chi·ro·spasm; grapho·spasm; la·ryn·go·spasm; py·lo·ro·spasm; spasm; vaso·spasm; …   English syllables

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