Spasm

  • 11spasm — 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

  • 12spasm — {{11}}spasm (n.) c.1400, from O.Fr. spasme, from L. spasmus a spasm, from Gk. spasmos a spasm, convulsion, from span draw up, tear away, contract violently, pull, from PIE *spe stretch. Figurative sense of a sudden convulsion (of emotion,… …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 13spasm — [[t]spæ̱zəm[/t]] spasms 1) N VAR: oft into N A spasm is a sudden tightening of your muscles, which you cannot control. A muscular spasm in the coronary artery can cause a heart attack... A lack of magnesium causes muscles to go into spasm. Syn:… …

    English dictionary

  • 14Spasm — A brief, automatic jerking movement. A muscle spasm can be quite painful, with the muscle clenching tightly. A spasm of the coronary artery can cause angina. Spasms in various types of tissue may be caused by stress, medication, over exercise, or …

    Medical dictionary

  • 15spasm — spas|m [ˈspæzəm] n [Date: 1300 1400; : Old French; Origin: spasme, from Latin, from Greek spasmos, from span to pull ] 1.) [U and C] an occasion when your muscles suddenly become tight, causing you pain ▪ Maggie felt a muscle spasm in her back. ▪ …

    Dictionary of contemporary English

  • 16spasm — Synonyms and related words: 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,… …

    Moby Thesaurus

  • 17spasm — UK [ˈspæz(ə)m] / US [ˈspæzəm] noun Word forms spasm : singular spasm plural spasms 1) [countable/uncountable] a sudden movement in which one of your muscles becomes tight and painful Athletes know that cold weather can induce muscle spasms. His… …

    English dictionary

  • 18spasm — noun Etymology: Middle English spasme, from Anglo French espasme, from Latin spasmus, from Greek spasmos, from span to draw, pull Date: 14th century 1. an involuntary and abnormal muscular contraction 2. a sudden violent and temporary effort,… …

    New Collegiate Dictionary

  • 19spasm — /spaz euhm/, n. 1. Pathol. 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 …

    Universalium

  • 20spasm(o)- — [Gr. spasmos spasm] a combining form denoting relationship to a spasm …

    Medical dictionary