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convulsion

noun

  1. medical condition where body muscles contract and relax rapidly and repeatedly
  2. (of muscles) act or process of shaking, seizing, or spasming
L298540 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /kənˈvʌlʃən/

noun

Etymology: From Latin convulsiō, from convellō.

  1. An intense, paroxysmal, involuntary muscular contraction.

    1850-1859, Charles Dickens, Household Words That immortal creature had gone over the proofs with great pains — had of course taken out the stiflings — hard-plungings, lungeings, and other convulsions — and had also taken out her weakenings and damagings of her own effects.

  2. An uncontrolled fit, as of laughter; a paroxysm.
  3. Violent turmoil.

    Earthquakes and convulsions of nature shake Earth on a regular basis.

    It would seem as if calm were necessary to convulsion; for the tranquillity of the last few months was again to be disturbed by political commotion.

  4. Hysteric in nature.