convulse

/kən'vʌls/

Thân thiện

The patient's arm began to convulse on the hospital bed.

Definition

1. Verb (transitive):

   • To cause to shake violently or uncontrollably, often in a sudden, irregular, or spasmodic manner. This can refer to physical shaking of the body, a region, or an object.
   • To cause to suffer violent, involuntary muscular contractions; to cause to have convulsions.
   • To agitate or disturb violently, causing upheaval or disorder.

2. Verb (intransitive):

   • To shake or be affected by violent, involuntary contractions or movements.
   • To be overcome by a paroxysm, such as laughter or coughing, causing the body to shake.

Examples of Usage

• Transitive Verb:

  • The powerful earthquake convulsed the entire region.
  • A sudden, sharp pain convulsed his leg.
  • The scandal convulsed the political establishment for weeks.

• Intransitive Verb:

  • The patient began to convulse on the floor.
  • She convulsed with laughter at the comedian's joke.

Advanced Usage

• "to be convulsed with/by something": To be overcome or affected by a powerful, often involuntary, physical or emotional reaction.

  • He was convulsed with rage at the accusation.
  • The audience was convulsed by a fit of coughing.

• "convulse in/into": To enter a state of violent shaking or agitation.

  • The country convulsed into chaos after the coup.

Variants and Related Words

• Convulsion (n): A sudden, violent, irregular movement of the body, caused by involuntary contraction of muscles; a violent social or political disturbance.

  • The child suffered from febrile convulsions.
  • The revolution threw the nation into convulsion.

• Convulsive (adj): Producing or consisting of convulsions; resembling a convulsion in being sudden, violent, or uncontrollable.

  • She let out a convulsive sob.
  • The economy underwent convulsive changes.

Synonyms

• Shake: To move with short, quick movements back and forth or up and down.
• Agitate: To disturb or excite emotionally; to stir up.
• Seize: (In medical context) To affect with a sudden attack or fit.
• Rock: To move violently or cause to sway.

Related Phrasal Verbs

(Note: "Convulse" is not commonly used with particles to form standard phrasal verbs. Its meaning is typically expressed directly or through the prepositional phrases noted in 'Advanced Usage'.)

Related Idioms

• "Convulse with laughter": To laugh so hard that one's body shakes uncontrollably.
  • The hilarious story had us all convulsing with laughter.

Học thuật

Verb

1. contract involuntarily, as in a spasm
   • The muscles in her face convulsed
2. cause to contract
   • The spasm convulses her facial muscles
3. shake uncontrollably
   • earthquakes convulsed the countryside
4. move or stir about violently
   • The feverish patient thrashed around in his bed
5. be overcome with laughter
6. make someone convulse with laughter
   • The comedian convulsed the crowd

Từ đồng nghĩa

• thresh
• thresh about
• thrash
• thrash about
• slash
• toss
• jactitate