spasm
/ˈspæzəm/noun
1- a sudden involuntary muscular contraction or convulsive movement痉挛。
1.1
- a sudden and brief spell of an activity or sensation（行为或感情的）突发; 阵发：
a spasm of coughing woke him.
一阵咳嗽把他惊醒。
1.2
- mass noun prolonged involuntary muscle contraction抽搐：
the airways in the lungs go into spasm.
肺中的气管开始抽搐。
词源
late Middle English: from Old French spasme, or via Latin from Greek spasmos, spasma, from span 'pull'.