convulse

[ kuhn-vuhls ]
See synonyms for convulse on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object),con·vulsed, con·vuls·ing.
  1. to shake violently; agitate.

  2. to cause to shake violently with laughter, anger, pain, etc.

  1. to cause to suffer violent, spasmodic contractions of the muscles.

Origin of convulse

1
First recorded in 1635–45; from Latin convulsus, past participle of convellere “to shatter, tear loose,” equivalent to con- intensive prefix + vul- (variant stem of vellere “to pull, tear”) + -sus, variant of -tus past participle suffix; see con-

Other words from convulse

  • con·vuls·ed·ly, adverb
  • con·vuls·i·ble, adjective
  • con·vuls·i·bil·i·ty, noun
  • un·con·vulsed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use convulse in a sentence

  • The great man is not convulsible or tormentable; events pass over him without much impression.

    Essays, First Series | Ralph Waldo Emerson

British Dictionary definitions for convulse

convulse

/ (kənˈvʌls) /


verb
  1. (tr) to shake or agitate violently

  2. (tr) to cause (muscles) to undergo violent spasms or contractions

  1. (intr often foll by with) informal to shake or be overcome (with violent emotion, esp laughter)

  2. (tr) to disrupt the normal running of (a country, etc): student riots have convulsed India

Origin of convulse

1
C17: from Latin convulsus, from convellere to tear up, from vellere to pluck, pull

Derived forms of convulse

  • convulsive, adjective
  • convulsively, adverb
  • convulsiveness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012