spasm en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /ˈspæz.m̩/
Etymology
From Middle English spasme, from Old French spasme, from Latin spasmus, from Ancient Greek σπασμός (spasmós, “spasm, convulsion”), from σπάω (spáō, “to draw out, pull out”).
Meanings
-
A sudden, involuntary contraction of a muscle, a group of muscles, or a hollow organ.
Jessica went into spasms after eating a peanut.
- A violent, excruciating seizure of pain.
-
A sudden and temporary burst of energy, activity, or emotion.
Both Spear & Davis were indicted in the witchhunt surrounding the sensational (if nonexistent) "Revere sex ring." Both men have said they have been police targets since at least 1975, following the anti-gay spasm which ensued after Dick Bavely's suicide.
1981 April 11, Mitzel, “Kopacz Acquitted In Barbre Killing”, in Gay Community News, page 1:He would use the simplest, plainest language, he said to himself over and over again; but it is not always easy to use simple, plain language,—by no means so easy as to mount on stilts, and to march along with sesquipedalian words, with pathos, spasms, and notes of interjection.
1861, Anthony Trollope, Framley Parsonage:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| spasms | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
spasmolysis · ophthalmospasm · cheirospasm · gastrospasm · spasmoid · spasmogenic · neurospasm · arteriospasm · spasmophilia · cadaveric spasm · blepharospasm · graphospasm · laryngospasm · hemispasm · myospasm · geniospasm · bronchospasm · xyrospasm · phrenospasm · spasm band · spasmology · spasm war · pharyngospasm · enterospasm · colpospasm · cardiospasm · angiospasm · esophagospasm · dactylospasm · cystospasm · spasmic · vasospasm · spasmogen · pylorospasm
Relateds
Translations (76)
cmn 痙攣 /痉挛 (contraction of a muscle) · eo spasmo (contraction of a muscle) · az qıc (contraction of a muscle) · fi kohtaus (a sudden and temporary burst of energy, activity, or emotion) · tr spazm (contraction of a muscle) · bg изблик (a sudden and temporary burst of energy, activity, or emotion) · it spasmo (contraction of a muscle) · grc σπασμός (contraction of a muscle) · nb krampe (contraction of a muscle) · vi co thắt (contraction of a muscle) · de Krampf (contraction of a muscle) · pdt Kraump (contraction of a muscle) · nl kramp (contraction of a muscle) · tl kisay (contraction of a muscle) · sv kramp (contraction of a muscle) · hu görcs (contraction of a muscle) · pt espasmo (contraction of a muscle) · ro spasm (contraction of a muscle) · sh grč (contraction of a muscle) · izh rapahus (contraction of a muscle) · de Muskelkrampf (contraction of a muscle) · el παροξυσμός (a sudden and temporary burst of energy, activity, or emotion) · bg крамп (contraction of a muscle) · nb spasme (contraction of a muscle) · fi spasmi (contraction of a muscle) · fr spasme (contraction of a muscle) · ga taom (a sudden and temporary burst of energy, activity, or emotion) · qu q'iwiykuy (contraction of a muscle) · ru спазм (contraction of a muscle) · nl stuip (a violent, excruciating seizure of pain) · ko 경련 (contraction of a muscle) · ga ríog (contraction of a muscle) · es acceso (a sudden and temporary burst of energy, activity, or emotion) · da krampe (contraction of a muscle) · pl spazm (contraction of a muscle) · es espasmo (contraction of a muscle) · yue 痙攣 /痉挛 (contraction of a muscle) · bg спазма (a violent, excruciating seizure of pain) · de Spasmus (contraction of a muscle) · mi tumu (contraction of a muscle) · cy gwingiad (contraction of a muscle) · rmq nodi (contraction of a muscle) · nn spasme (contraction of a muscle) · sl krč (contraction of a muscle) · az spazma (contraction of a muscle) · zza spazm (contraction of a muscle) · lv krampji (contraction of a muscle) · ca espasme (contraction of a muscle) · fi puuska (a sudden and temporary burst of energy, activity, or emotion) · mi hōkai (contraction of a muscle) · mk грч (contraction of a muscle) · fi kipukohtaus (a violent, excruciating seizure of pain) · sk kŕč (contraction of a muscle) · el σύσπαση (contraction of a muscle) · he עֲוִית (contraction of a muscle) · ar تَشَنُّج (contraction of a muscle) · cy gwewyr (contraction of a muscle) · nn krampe (contraction of a muscle) · fi kouristus (contraction of a muscle) · be спазма (contraction of a muscle) · el κρίση (a violent, excruciating seizure of pain) · mi timu (contraction of a muscle) · cy sbasm (contraction of a muscle) · bg гърч (contraction of a muscle) · pl skurcz (contraction of a muscle) · crh spazm (contraction of a muscle) · el σπασμός (contraction of a muscle) · el σπασμός (a violent, excruciating seizure of pain) · el κρίση (a sudden and temporary burst of energy, activity, or emotion) · ja 痙攣 (contraction of a muscle) · cs křeč (contraction of a muscle) · tr kramp (a violent, excruciating seizure of pain) · eo spasmo (a violent, excruciating seizure of pain) · de Anfall (a sudden and temporary burst of energy, activity, or emotion) · pdt Stäakj (a violent, excruciating seizure of pain) · pl kurcz (contraction of a muscle)