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spasm definition

spasm (spaz′əm)

noun

  1. a sudden, convulsive, involuntary muscular contraction: a tonic spasm is persistent and sustained, and a clonic spasm is one of a series of relatively brief contractions alternating with relaxations
  2. any sudden, violent, temporary activity, feeling, etc.

Etymology: ME spasme < MFr < L spasmus < Gr spasmos < span, to draw, pull, wrench: see span

intransitive verb

to undergo a spasm

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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