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spasm
spasm involuntary rigid muscle contraction, often persistent and often accompanied by pain. It usually has some underlying physical cause such as disease, strain, or injury to the muscle or nearby tissues, impairment of circulation, or a disturbance of body chemistry. The spasm may be confined to one group of muscles or it may be severe and fairly generalized, as in convulsions . Painless localized spasms are called tics. These purposeless movements, usually of some part of the face, may begin as purposeful movement in response to some stimulus but eventually are carried out automatically, apparently without reason. They may disappear spontaneously after a time, or may require the elimination of some physical or psychic cause. |
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"spasm." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "spasm." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-spasm.html "spasm." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-spasm.html |
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spasm
spasm sudden or violent muscular contraction. XIV. — (O)F. spasme or L. spasmus, spasma — Gr. spasmǒs, spásma, f. spân draw, pull.
So spasmodic marked by spasms or twitches XVII; intermittent XIX. — modL. spasmōdicus, f. Gr. spasmṓdēs. spastic marked by spasmodic symptoms. XVIII. — L. spasticus — Gr. spastikṓs. |
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T. F. HOAD. "spasm." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "spasm." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-spasm.html T. F. HOAD. "spasm." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-spasm.html |
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spasm
spasm (spazm) n. a sustained involuntary muscular contraction, which may occur either as part of a generalized disorder or as a local response to an otherwise unconnected painful condition. carpopedal s. a spasm that affects the muscles of the hands and feet and is caused by a reduction in the blood calcium level (often transitory), as in hyperventilation.
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"spasm." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "spasm." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O62-spasm.html "spasm." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O62-spasm.html |
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spasm
spasm / ˈspazəm/ • n. a sudden involuntary muscular contraction or convulsive movement. ∎ a sudden and brief spell of an activity or sensation: a spasm of coughing woke him. ∎ prolonged involuntary muscle contraction: the airways in the lungs go into spasm. |
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"spasm." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "spasm." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-spasm.html "spasm." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-spasm.html |
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spasm
spasm Sustained involuntary muscle contraction. It may occur in response to pain, or as part of a generalized condition, such as spastic paralysis or tetanus.
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"spasm." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "spasm." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-spasm.html "spasm." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-spasm.html |
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spasm
spasm
•chasm, spasm
•enthusiasm • orgasm • sarcasm
•ectoplasm • cytoplasm • iconoclasm
•cataplasm • pleonasm • phantasm
•besom • dirigisme
•abysm, arrivisme, chrism, chrisom, ism, prism, schism
•Shiism, theism
•Maoism, Taoism
•egoism • truism • Babism • cubism
•sadism • nudism • Sufism • ageism
•holism • cataclysm • monism • papism
•verism • aneurysm • purism • Nazism
•sexism • racism • paroxysm • autism
•macrocosm • microcosm • bosom
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"spasm." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "spasm." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-spasm.html "spasm." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-spasm.html |
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