/ ˈspæzəm; NAmE / noun
1.
[ C , U ] a sudden and often painful contracting of a muscle, which you cannot control :
a muscle spasm
The injection sent his leg into spasm .
2.
[ C ] spasm (of sth) a sudden strong feeling or reaction that lasts for a short time :
a spasm of anxiety / anger / coughing / pain, etc.
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Old French spasme , or via Latin from Greek spasmos , spasma , from span pull.