[f. L. convuls- ppl. stem of convellĕre to pull violently hither and thither, to wrest, wrench, shatter, etc., f. con- together + vellĕre to pluck, pull, tear.]
1. trans. To shake violently; to agitate or disturb physically (as in an earthquake), politically, or socially.
1643. Sir T. Browne, Relig. Med., I. § 38. To dote on life, or be convulst and tremble at the name of death.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., I. 652. The late war, by which North Carolina was greatly convulsed.
1815. Shelley, Alastor, 349. The bursting mass That fell, convulsing ocean.
1830. D’Israeli, Chas. I., III. i. 6. A revolution … was to convulse England for many years.
1866. Dickens, Repr. Pieces, 131. Our watering place has been convulsed by the agitation, Gas or No Gas.
1875. Lyell, Princ. Geol., II. II. xxviii. 94. The plain of Bogota … was convulsed by an earthquake.
2. Path. To affect with a succession of violent involuntary contractions of the muscles, so as to produce agitation of the limbs or whole body; to throw into convulsions. (Chiefly in passive.)
1681. Hallywell, Melampr., 78 (T.). A young man, who was strangely convulsed in his body, having sometimes one member and sometimes another, violently agitated.
1695. trans. Colbatch’s New Lt. Chirurg. Put out, 53. Which did not fail … in convulsing the Patient.
1804. Med. Jrnl., XII. 273. The left side of the body was more convulsed than the right.
1882. Syd. Soc. Lex., Convulsed, affected with a Convulsion.
† b. To affect with involuntary contraction or stiffening; to ‘draw up.’ Cf. CONVULSION 2 a.
1691. Ray, Creation, I. (1704), 82. The parts … are, by and by, convulsed and shortly relaxed.
c. To throw into a violent fit of laughter. (Associated with 1 and 2.)
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 176, ¶ 1. Convulsing them with irresistible laughter.
1789. Wolcott (P. Pindar), Ep. falling Minis., Wks. 1812, II. 124. A thought that now convulseth us with laughter.
1871. Morley, Voltaire (1886), 112. Explanatory comments, after the showman’s manner, in which he would convulse his friends at the expense of his enemies.
1887. Jessopp, Arcady, vii. 213. He kept us all convulsed with laughter for miles.
3. intr. To become convulsed; esp. to be affected with convulsion, go into convulsions, be convulsed.
1684. trans. Bonet’s Merc. Compit., III. 76. The Child cried a little, did not faint, nor convulse.
1814. Byron, Corsair, I. x. Feelings … That rise—convulse—contend—that freeze or glow, Flush in the cheek or damp upon the brow.
1888. B. Waugh, in Daily News, 7 June, 5/2. He … fell down … shivered a little, and convulsed at the mouth.
