spasmodic

Word family

Related topics: Biology

1 REGULARhappening for short irregular periods, not continuously 间歇的，一阵阵的，断断续续的

spasmodic machine gun fire

断断续续的机关枪射击

2 formal or medicalHBPAIN of or relating to a muscle spasm 痉挛性的，抽搐的

a spasmodic cough

痉挛性咳嗽

—spasmodically /-kli/ adverbadv

Examples from the Corpus

spasmodic• The president's lobbying on behalf of his programme was uneven and spasmodic.• The record is spasmodic and must be treated as such.• From the library there was a broken murmur of voices, subdued and spasmodic as a funeral gathering.• After taking a cold, rawness of the larynx and trachea come on, then spasmodic constriction of the larynx at night.• Spasmodic displays of genius are evident in her music.• So while his competitors resorted to spasmodic mass layoffs and cutthroat bidding during economic downturns, Zack held his ground.• We communicated in spasmodic shouts, for Archie was growing deaf and the wind outside was showing no sign of abatement.• I was very prone to them at the time, mainly because I was undertaking only light and sometimes very spasmodic training.

Origin spasmodic

(1600-1700) Modern Latin spasmodicus, from Greek spasmos; → SPASM

Chinese

Syllable

Corpus

BNC: 21707 COCA: 31866

spasmodic

Sometimes, but not often: sometimes, occasionally, intermittent...

Relating to muscles and tendons: cartilaginous, contract, motor...