convulsion
C1Formal, Medical, Literary
Definition
Meaning
A sudden, violent, involuntary contraction of muscles, typically due to a medical condition.
A violent social or political upheaval; a sudden, uncontrollable burst of emotion or action.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Medical sense is literal; social/political/emotional sense is metaphorical. The metaphorical use retains the core idea of a sudden, violent, and uncontrollable disruption.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Both use the same term for medical and metaphorical senses.
Connotations
Both carry strong negative connotations of loss of control and violence.
Frequency
Slightly more common in formal and medical contexts in both varieties. The metaphorical use is equally literary in both.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
a convulsion of [N (emotion/upheaval)]suffer (from) convulsionsgo into convulsionsVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “convulsions of laughter”
- “a convulsion of rage”
- “the body politic was in convulsion”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Used metaphorically for severe market disruption: 'The merger sent the industry into convulsions.'
Academic
Common in medical literature (literal), history, and political science (metaphorical).
Everyday
Uncommon. Mostly used for serious medical events. 'The fever gave the child convulsions.'
Technical
Standard in neurology and emergency medicine to describe a type of seizure.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The patient may convulse during the episode.
- The news convulsed the entire community with outrage.
American English
- The child began to convulse from the high fever.
- The scandal convulsed the political establishment.
adverb
British English
- His shoulders shook convulsively as he sobbed.
- The market reacted convulsively to the announcement.
American English
- She laughed convulsively, unable to catch her breath.
- The engine shuddered convulsively before dying.
adjective
British English
- He gave a convulsive jerk before collapsing.
- The country went through a convulsive period of reform.
American English
- The medicine can cause convulsive movements as a side effect.
- The decade was marked by convulsive social change.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- A very high fever can sometimes cause convulsions in small children.
- The patient suffered a violent convulsion and was rushed to hospital.
- The political convulsions of the 1990s completely reshaped the region's borders.
- A convulsion of grief wracked her body, leaving her exhausted and hollow.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a REVOLUTION that happens inside the body (CON-vul-sion): a sudden, violent overthrow of normal muscle control.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIAL/POLITICAL UPHEAVAL IS A PHYSICAL SPASM; INTENSE EMOTION IS A PHYSICAL CONVULSION.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'конвульсия' (convulsion) which is a direct cognate and correct. Beware of false friend 'конвульсивный' (convulsive) vs. 'конвульсионный' (relating to convulsions). The metaphorical use is directly translatable as 'потрясение', 'судорога'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'convulsion' for a minor twitch or tremor (too strong). Mispronouncing as /ˈkɒnvʌlʃən/ (stress on first syllable). Confusing 'convulsion' (event) with 'convulsive' (adjective).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'convulsion' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. A convulsion specifically refers to the visible, physical manifestations of uncontrolled muscle contractions. An epileptic seizure is the neurological event, which may or may not involve convulsions.
Rarely and only in a heavily ironic or metaphorical sense (e.g., 'convulsions of laughter'). It overwhelmingly carries negative connotations of violence and loss of control.
A 'spasm' is a single, sudden muscle contraction. A 'convulsion' is a series of violent, involuntary spasms. A 'seizure' is a broader medical term for a sudden surge of electrical activity in the brain, which can cause convulsions.
Yes. 'Convulse' is the verb, meaning to suffer convulsions or to cause something to shake violently (literally or metaphorically).
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