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convulsion

Syllabification: (con·vul·sion)
Pronunciation: /kənˈvəlSHən/
Translate convulsion | into French | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of convulsion

noun

(often convulsions)
  • 1a sudden, violent, irregular movement of a limb or of the body, caused by involuntary contraction of muscles and associated especially with brain disorders such as epilepsy, the presence of certain toxins or other agents in the blood, or fever in children.
  • (convulsions) uncontrollable laughter:the audience collapsed in convulsions
  • an earthquake or other violent or major movement of the earth’s crust:the violent convulsions of tectonic plates
  • 2a violent social or political upheaval:the convulsions of 1939–45

Origin:

mid 16th century (originally in the sense 'cramp, spasm'): from Latin convulsio(n-), from the verb convellere (see convulse)

convulsion in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of convulsion in the British & World English dictionary

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