See Also: spasm(2)(dictionary)
spasm(1)(dictionary)
Spasm(health)
spasm(dictionary)
Spasm(medicine)
saltatory spasm(medicine)
salaam spasm(medicine)
rotatory spasm(medicine)
retrocollic spasm(medicine)
phonic spasm(medicine)

spasm(1) (iou)



spasm noun. LME.
[Old & mod. French spasme or Latin spasmus, spasma from Greek spasmos, spasma, from span draw, pull.]
Sudden and violent involuntary muscular contraction, esp. of a convulsive or painful nature. LME.
An instance of this; a convulsive twitch. L15.
I. Asimov Her hands became fists..held..in a tight spasm.
fig. Any sudden violent or convulsive movement; a sudden brief burst of activity or emotion; a convulsion. E19.
J. Galsworthy Moved by an uncontrollable spasm of curiosity. Globe & Mail (Toronto) The latest spasm of violence in the Soviet Caucasus.
Comb.: spasm band US (now Hist.): playing jazz on home-made musical instruments; spasm music US (now Hist.): played by spasm bands; spasm war: in which the combatants would use their complete thermonuclear capabilities.
spasmed adjective affected with or accompanied by spasms L18.
spasmic adjective spasmodic; convulsive: E18.
spasmous adjective (rare) characterized by spasms M16.
spasmy adjective (rare) affected by spasms M19.