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convulse

Syllabification: (con·vulse)
Pronunciation: /kənˈvəls/
Translate convulse | into German | into Italian
Definition of convulse

verb

  • 1 [no object] (of a person) suffer violent involuntary contraction of the muscles, producing contortion of the body or limbs:she convulsed, collapsing to the floor with the pain
  • [with object] (of an emotion, laughter, or physical stimulus) cause (someone) to make sudden, violent, uncontrollable movements:Carlos was convulsed by a second bout of sneezing she rocked backward and forward, convulsed with helpless mirth
  • 2 [with object] throw (a country) into violent social or political upheaval:a wave of mass strikes convulsed the Ruhr, Berlin, and central Germany

Origin:

mid 17th century: from Latin convuls- 'pulled violently, wrenched', from the verb convellere, from con- 'together' + vellere 'to pull'

convulse in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of convulse in the British & World English dictionary