spasm

4 definitions • 7 examples

an occasion when a muscle suddenly becomes tighter in a way that cannot be controlled:

a muscle/muscular spasm

go into spasm mainly UK My leg suddenly went into spasm.

a short period of something, especially something that cannot be controlled:

a spasm of guilt/coughing/laughing

(of a muscle) to become tighter in a way that cannot be controlled:

Her neck muscles pulsed and spasmed - she was choking.

In the acute phase of polio, the muscles are spasming and need to be relaxed and exercised, not braced or splinted.

a sudden, uncontrollable tightening of a muscle, or a sudden, burst of activity or energy:

He left the game because of back spasms.

The rebels’ spasm of resistance was short-lived.