paroxysm

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Pronunciation

• (America) IPA: /ˈpæɹ.əkˌsɪz.əm/

Noun

paroxysm (plural paroxysms)

1. A random or sudden outburst (of activity).
   • 1903, Jack London, The Call of the Wild

     Unable to turn his back on the fanged danger and go on, the bull would be driven into paroxysms of rage.

   • 1955, Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita

     «There, on the soft sand, a few feet away from our elders, we would sprawl all morning, in a petrified paroxysm of desire, and take advantage of every blessed quirk in space and time to touch each other […] »

   • 1983, John Fowles, Mantissa

     Indeed in his excitement at this breakthrough he inadvertently dug his nails into the nurse's bottom, a gesture she misinterpreted, so that he had to suffer a paroxysm of breasts and loins in response.

2. An explosive event during a volcanic eruption.
3. A sudden recurrence of a disease, such as a seizure or a coughing fit.

Related terms

• oxymoron

Translations

• German: Paroxysmus
• Italian: parossismo
• Russian: при́ступ
• Spanish: paroxismo

Translations

• German: Paroxysmus
• Italian: acme, parossismo, raptus
• Russian: парокси́зм

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