spasmspas‧m /ˈspæzəm/ noun 
Maggie felt a muscle spasm in her back. Tom’s jaw muscles had gone into spasm.back/shoulder/throat etc spasm2spasm of grief/laughter/coughing etc a sudden strong feeling or reaction that you have for a short period of time: I felt a spasm of fear.
WORD ORIGINspasm
Origin:
1300-1400 Old French spasme, from Latin, from Greek spasmos, from span ‘to pull’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- A spasm of pain twisted Cheviot's face.
- Grant missed Monday night's game due to back spasms.
- He lay on the ground, breathless and frightened, waiting for the next spasm.
- The muscle spasms started in his lower left leg and spread upwards.
- But as it was ... As it was, Dyson had experienced a genuine spasm.
- Deep, cramping spasms ran up and down her legs and twitched in her back.
- Froebe's eyes opened weakly, and he coughed in a huge racking spasm.
- Hemifacial spasm is not psychogenic as was commonly thought in the past, although it may be aggravated by emotional stress.
- Her fingers were jumping rhythmically, as if in spasm.
- His left leg was going into muscle spasms of some sort and he clutched at his knee with frustration.
- Just as suddenly as it had begun, the spasm seemed to fade.
- Recurring spasms of gloom and euphoria tend to be self-fulfilling.
Longman Language Activatorpain
the feeling you have when part of your body hurts: · The pain is getting worse.· You won't feel any pain during the operation.· He told the doctor he was suffering from chest pains.a pain in your chest/leg/back etc: · In college, Durban began to suffer from headaches and pain in his arms and legssevere/excruciating pain (=very bad pain): · A slipped disc can cause severe back pain.ease the pain (=make you feel less pain): · The drug is often used to ease the pain of dying cancer patients.labor pains (American) / labour pains (British) (=before giving birth): · Kerry had to drive herself to the hospital when the labor pains began.
a pain that continues for a long time but is not very sharp: · The ache in my leg muscles had almost gone.dull ache (=a continuous annoying ache): · Lisa felt a dull ache spreading up her arm.
a continuous pain in a part of your body: have/get a headache: · I always get a headache when I've been using the computer.have toothache/backache/stomach ache British: · I'm not surprised you have stomach ache - you eat too fast.have a toothache/a backache/a stomach ache American: · I had a backache after fifteen minutes of shovelling snow.a splitting headache (=a very bad headache): · We were planning to go out last night, but Marcia had a splitting headache.
many small pains which you feel at the same time, especially when you move, for example as the result of too much exercise or growing old: · Grandma said that apart from a few aches and pains she was feeling quite well.· Jenny ran slower and slower, complaining all the way of various aches and pains.
a sudden sharp pain which makes your body or part of your body shake uncontrollably for a short time: · He lay on the ground, breathless and frightened, waiting for the next spasm.spasm of pain: · A spasm of pain twisted Cheviot's face.muscle spasm: · The muscle spasms started in his lower left leg and spread upwards.
a sudden but not severe pain that comes and then disappears quickly: · I'd had the odd twinge now and again, but my heart-attack was totally unexpected.twinge of pain/rheumatism etc: · George felt a twinge of pain in his ankle from when he had slipped on the ice.
WORD SETSaerobic, adjectiveafterbirth, nounalgae, nounalimentary canal, nounamber, nounameba, nounamino acid, nounamoeba, nounanaconda, nounanaerobic, adjectiveandrogynous, adjectiveantibody, nounantigen, nounantitoxin, nounappendage, nounarm, nounarmour, nounasexual, adjectiveassimilation, nounatrophy, verbaviary, nounbacteria, nounbacteriology, nounbarnacle, nounbile, nounbinocular vision, nounbio-, prefixbiochemistry, nounbiodegradable, adjectivebiodiversity, nounbiohazard, nounbiological, adjectivebiological clock, nounbiology, nounbiomass, nounbiome, nounbiosphere, nounblind, nounbrain, nounbreathe, verbbreed, verbbreed, nounbreeding, nounbristle, nounbulb, nouncapsule, nouncarbohydrate, nouncarbon dioxide, nouncarnivore, nouncell, nouncellular, adjectivecellulose, nouncentral nervous system, nouncervical, adjectivecholesterol, nounchromosome, nouncirculation, nouncirculatory, adjectiveclass, nounclone, nouncold-blooded, adjectiveconceive, verbconch, nounconnective tissue, nouncopulate, verbcoral reef, nouncornea, nouncoronary, adjectivecorpuscle, nouncortex, nouncortisone, nouncowrie, nouncrab, nouncrawfish, nouncrayfish, nouncreature, nouncross, verbcrossbreed, nounculture, nouncytoplasm, noundecay, verbdecay, noundecompose, verbdefecate, verbdenizen, noundextrose, noundiaphragm, noundigest, verbdigestion, noundigestive, adjectiveDNA, noundorsal, adjectivedry rot, nounduct, noundwarf, noundwarf, adjectiveecological, adjectiveecology, nounecosystem, nounegg, nounejaculate, verbembryo, nounembryonic, adjectiveenzyme, nounepidermis, nounevolution, nounevolutionary, adjectiveexcrement, nounexcrescence, nounexcrete, verbexcretion, nounexhale, verbexoskeleton, nounextinction, nounfaeces, nounfamily, nounfang, nounfat, nounfatty acid, nounfauna, nounfeces, nounfeed, verbfemale, adjectivefemale, nounferment, verbferment, nounfertile, adjectivefertility, nounfertilize, verbfission, nounflank, nounflatulence, nounflesh, nounfleshy, adjectiveflightless, adjectiveflora, nounfoetal, adjectivefoetus, nounfoliage, nounfossil, nounfreak, nounfreshwater, adjectivefructose, noungamete, nounganglion, noungene, noungene pool, noungenera, genetic, adjectivegenetic code, noungenetic engineering, noungenetic fingerprinting, noungenetics, noungenome, noungenus, noungestation, noungland, nounglandular, adjectiveglucose, noungluten, noungonad, noungrass snake, noungrow, verbgrowth, nounhabitat, nounhaemoglobin, nounhearing, nounheart, nounhemisphere, nounherbivore, nounhereditary, adjectiveheredity, nounhermaphrodite, nounhibernate, verbhistamine, nounhoming, adjectivehormone, nounhost, nounimpregnate, verbimpulse, nounincubate, verbindigenous, adjectiveinfected, adjectiveinfertile, adjectiveinfest, verbingest, verbinhale, verbinseminate, verbinsensate, adjectiveinsulin, nounintegument, nounintercourse, nouninterferon, nounintestine, nouninvertebrate, nouninvoluntary, adjectiveiris, nounjaw, nounjelly, nounkidney, nounkrill, nounlactate, verblactation, nounlactic acid, nounleech, nounleg, nounlesser, adjectivelichen, nounlife, nounlife cycle, nounlife form, nounligament, nounlimb, nounlimpet, nounlipid, nounliver, nounliving fossil, nounlocomotion, nounlymph, nounlymph node, nounmale, adjectivemale, nounmammal, nounmandible, nounmate, nounmate, verbmembrane, nounmetabolism, nounmetabolize, verbmetamorphosis, nounmicrobe, nounmicrobiology, nounmicroorganism, nounmicroscopic, adjectivemigrate, verbmigratory, adjectivemiscarriage, nounmolar, nounmorphology, nounmotor, adjectivemould, nounmouth, nounmucous membrane, nounmucus, nounmulticellular, adjectivemuscle, nounmuscular, adjectivemutant, nounmutate, verbmutation, nounnatural history, nounnatural selection, nounnature, nounneck, nounnectar, nounnerve, nounnervous, adjectivenervous system, nounneural, adjectiveneuro-, prefixneurology, nounnode, nounnose, nounnostril, nounnucleic acid, nounnucleus, nounnutrient, nounnutriment, nounoesophagus, nounoestrogen, nounolfactory, adjectiveoptic, adjectiveorgan, nounorganic, adjectiveorganic chemistry, nounorganism, nounorifice, nounossify, verbosteo-, prefixoutgrowth, nounova, ovary, nounoverwinter, verboviduct, nounoviparous, adjectiveovulate, verbovum, nounparasite, nounpathogen, nounpedigree, nounpelvic, adjectivepelvis, nounpenile, adjectivepenis, nounpepsin, nounperiod, nounperspiration, nounperspire, verbphotosynthesis, nounphylum, nounpigment, nounpigmentation, nounplankton, nounplasma, nounpollinate, verbpostnatal, adjectivepregnancy, nounpregnant, adjectivepremature, adjectiveprenatal, adjectiveproduct, nounproliferation, nounpropagate, verbprotein, nounprotoplasm, nounprotozoan, nounpuberty, nounpulmonary, adjectivepulp, nounpulsation, nounputrefy, verbputrid, adjectivered blood cell, nounregurgitate, verbrenal, adjectivereproduce, verbreproduction, nounreproductive, adjectiverespiration, nounrespiratory, adjectiverespire, verbretina, nounroot, nounrot, verbrot, nounruff, nounsac, nounsaliva, nounsalivary gland, nounsalivate, verbsaltwater, adjectivescale, nounscallop, nounscaly, adjectivesebaceous, adjectivesecrete, verbsecretion, nounsemen, nounsense organ, nounsensory, adjectiveserum, nounsex, nounsex, verbsexless, adjectivesexual intercourse, nounsheath, nounshell, nounsibling, nounskeletal, adjectiveskeleton, nounskin, nounskull, nounspasm, nounspasmodic, adjectivespecies, nounspecimen, nounsperm, nounspiderweb, nounspinal cord, nounspine, nounspineless, adjectivestarch, nounstem cell, nounstimulate, verbstimulus, nounstrain, nounsubject, nounsubspecies, nounsucker, nounsucrose, nounsweat, verbsweat, nounsweat gland, nounsymbiosis, nounsystemic, adjectivetail, nountaxonomy, nounteeth, testosterone, nountest-tube baby, nountissue, nountrachea, nountube, noununicellular, adjectiveurethra, nounuric, adjectiveurinate, verburine, nounvariety, nounvector, nounvein, nounvenom, nounvenomous, adjectiveventricle, nounvertebra, nounvertebrate, nounvivisection, nounwarm-blooded, adjectivewean, verbwildlife, nounwindpipe, nounyolk, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Tom’s jaw muscles had gone into spasm.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
Tom’s jaw muscles had gone into spasm. (=when your muscles tighten suddenly)· The drug helps control painful muscle spasms.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· Right guard Kevin Gogan had a hip pointer and back spasms.· They won without point guard Cameron Murray, who played only two minutes before departing with back spasms.· With Loy Vaught bothered by back spasms, Murray got his first start since Jan. 20.
NOUN· Only by restoring his muscle spasm had he been able to conquer the impulse to commit suicide.· His left leg was going into muscle spasms of some sort and he clutched at his knee with frustration.· Symptoms of poisoning by the chemical, which is used in sheep dip, include nausea, headaches and muscle spasms.· It was probably due to muscle spasm and ligament strain, possibly as a result of lack of general fitness and poor sleep.· Many people control their feelings through muscle tension and may re-experience these feelings spontaneously when the muscle spasm is broken up.
VERB· Mrs Popple lay on the bathroom floor, her jaw muscles having gone into spasms.· His left leg was going into muscle spasms of some sort and he clutched at his knee with frustration.· There isn't a moment when the lad isn't twitching or jerking or going into spasm.· She choked and spat out some seawater and then swallowed a lungful as she went into a spasm again.· Some drugs, such as nifedipine, can prevent hand arteries from going into spasm.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY
1[countable, uncountable] an occasion when your muscles suddenly become tight, causing you pain: - A spasm of coughing woke him.
Maggie felt a muscle spasm in her back. Tom’s jaw muscles had gone into spasm.back/shoulder/throat etc spasm2spasm of grief/laughter/coughing etc a sudden strong feeling or reaction that you have for a short period of time: I felt a spasm of fear.