CONVULSE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does convulse mean? 

• CONVULSE (verb)
  The verb CONVULSE has 6 senses:

1. make someone convulse with laughter

2. be overcome with laughter

3. move or stir about violently

4. shake uncontrollably

5. cause to contract

6. contract involuntarily, as in a spasm

  Familiarity information: CONVULSE used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CONVULSE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they convulse    ... he / she / it convulses   
Past simple: convulsed   
Past participle: convulsed   
-ing form: convulsing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make someone convulse with laughter

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

The comedian convulsed the crowd

Hypernyms (to "convulse" is one way to...):

amuse (make (somebody) laugh)

Cause:

convulse (be overcome with laughter)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

convulsion (violent uncontrollable contractions of muscles)

convulsive (resembling a convulsion in being sudden and violent)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Be overcome with laughter

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "convulse" is one way to...):

express joy; express mirth; laugh (produce laughter)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

convulsive (resembling a convulsion in being sudden and violent)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Move or stir about violently

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

convulse; jactitate; slash; thrash; thrash about; thresh; thresh about; toss

Context example:

The feverish patient thrashed around in his bed

Hypernyms (to "convulse" is one way to...):

agitate; shake (move or cause to move back and forth)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "convulse"):

whip (thrash about flexibly in the manner of a whiplash)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Sense 4

Meaning:

Shake uncontrollably

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

earthquakes convulsed the countryside

Hypernyms (to "convulse" is one way to...):

agitate; shake (move or cause to move back and forth)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sense 5

Meaning:

Cause to contract

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

The spasm convulses her facial muscles

Hypernyms (to "convulse" is one way to...):

compact; compress; constrict; contract; press; squeeze (squeeze or press together)

Verb group:

convulse (contract involuntarily, as in a spasm)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

convulsion (violent uncontrollable contractions of muscles)

convulsive (affected by involuntary jerky muscular contractions; resembling a spasm)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Contract involuntarily, as in a spasm

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

The muscles in her face convulsed

Hypernyms (to "convulse" is one way to...):

compact; compress; constrict; contract; press; squeeze (squeeze or press together)

Verb group:

convulse (cause to contract)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

convulsion (violent uncontrollable contractions of muscles)

convulsive (affected by involuntary jerky muscular contractions; resembling a spasm)

 Context examples 

His throat worked spasmodically, but made no sound, while he struggled with all his body, convulsed with the effort to rid himself of the incommunicable something that strained for utterance.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

Suddenly, however, we heard a step behind us, and there was the landlord, his heavy eyebrows drawn over his savage eyes, his swarthy features convulsed with passion.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

John Thornton stood over Buck, struggling to control himself, too convulsed with rage to speak.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

She writhed as one who is in terrible pain, and her limbs were dreadfully convulsed.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

With a rapidity which, at the time, seemed incredible, and even afterwards is impossible to realize, the whole aspect of nature at once became convulsed.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

A more absurd object than she presented cocked up there with her face convulsed with anger, her feet dangling, and her body rigid for fear of an upset, I could not imagine.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

As we dashed up to the door, my friend’s face convulsed with grief, a gentleman in black emerged from it.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

As I turned I caught a glimpse of a convulsed face and frantic eyes.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"You ask her," was the convulsed response.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

His face was convulsed and white, his eyes were flashing, his clenched fists raised overhead.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)