"convulsions" in the noun sense
1. paroxysm, fit, convulsion
a sudden uncontrollable attack
"a paroxysm of giggling"
"a fit of coughing"
"convulsions of laughter"
2. convulsion
violent uncontrollable contractions of muscles
3. convulsion, turmoil, upheaval
a violent disturbance
"the convulsions of the stock market"
4. convulsion
a physical disturbance such as an earthquake or upheaval
Source: WordNet® (An amazing lexical database of English)
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