spasm
UK[ˈspæzəm]US[ˈspæzəm]
n
a sudden uncontrolled and often painful tightening of a muscle
n
a sudden, brief period of intense activity, emotion, or effort
Etymology
the word 'spasm' entered english in the late 14th century from the old french 'spasme', which itself derived from the latin 'spasmus'. latin borrowed the term from the greek 'spasmos', meaning 'a convulsion, pulling, tearing'. this greek noun originates from the verb 'span', which means 'to draw, pull, or tear'. the core semantic thread from its ancient origins to its modern medical and figurative uses is the concept of a sudden, involuntary, and often violent pulling or contraction. the physiological meaning of a muscle contraction came first, with the extended sense of a sudden burst of activity or emotion developing later by analogy.
Analysis
the word is a simplex loanword from latin. it is not productively formed from smaller, recognizable morphemes within modern english spelling.
Examples
a painful spasm in his back prevented him from standing up straight.
the economy experienced brief spasms of growth followed by longer periods of stagnation.
she wrote the letter in a spasm of guilt after the argument.