convulse
C1formal, medical, literary
Definition
Meaning
to shake violently and uncontrollably, typically as a result of involuntary muscle contractions
to cause sudden, violent disturbance or upheaval; to agitate intensely
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily used for involuntary physical movements (medical contexts) or metaphorically for violent social/political disturbances
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning; both use medical and figurative senses equally
Connotations
Equally formal/medical in both dialects
Frequency
Slightly more common in British medical writing, but negligible difference
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[subject] convulses[subject] convulses [object][subject] is convulsed with/by [emotion]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “convulse with laughter”
- “convulsed with emotion”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rarely used; might appear metaphorically: 'The market convulsed after the announcement'
Academic
Common in medical/neurological literature; occasionally in political science for societal upheaval
Everyday
Uncommon in casual conversation; mostly in descriptions of medical episodes or extreme laughter
Technical
Standard term in neurology and emergency medicine for seizure activity
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The patient began to convulse during the examination.
- The entire theatre convulsed with laughter at the comedian's joke.
American English
- His body convulsed from the electric shock.
- The country was convulsed by political scandal.
adverb
British English
- convulsively jerking
- laughing convulsively
American English
- shaking convulsively
- coughing convulsively
adjective
British English
- convulsive movements
- a convulsive episode
American English
- convulsive seizures
- convulsive sobbing
Examples
By CEFR Level
- She started to convulse during the fever.
- The funny movie made him convulse with laughter.
- The earthquake caused the building to convulse violently.
- He was convulsed with grief when he heard the news.
- The neurological disorder causes patients to convulse without warning.
- The nation was convulsed by revelations of widespread corruption.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'CONtrol reVOLtS' → when control revolts, the body convulses
Conceptual Metaphor
VIOLENT AGITATION IS CONVULSION (applied to bodies, societies, emotions)
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'конвульсия' (noun) – 'convulse' это глагол
- Не означает обычную дрожь от холода
- В метафорическом смысле сильнее, чем 'волновать'
Common Mistakes
- Using 'convulse' for gentle shaking
- Confusing with 'convict' or 'convince'
- Using as noun (should be 'convulsion')
Practice
Quiz
Which context is LEAST appropriate for 'convulse'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it's commonly used metaphorically for intense laughter, emotions, or social upheaval.
'Convulse' typically describes sustained, violent shaking of the whole body, while 'spasm' often refers to sudden, brief contractions of specific muscles.
Yes, but rarely. Example: 'The news convulsed the community.' More common: 'The community was convulsed by the news.'
Quite formal. In everyday conversation, people more often say 'shake violently' or 'have a seizure'.