Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. See tetanus.
- n. An early sign of tetanus, in which the jaw is locked closed because of a tonic spasm of the muscles of mastication. Also called trismus.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. In pathology, tetanus; trismus. See tetanus.
Wiktionary
- n. pathology A spasmodic, nervous system disease brought on by the tetanus bacteria. It causes muscles to seize up and may cause death by suffocation.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. (Med.) A contraction of the muscles of the jaw by which its motion is suspended; a variety of tetanus; trismus.
WordNet 3.0
- n. an acute and serious infection of the central nervous system caused by bacterial infection of open wounds; spasms of the jaw and laryngeal muscles may occur during the late stages
Examples
“Gangrene, as a consequence of contusions or of hemorrhage or of an impediment to the circulation, caused by unskillfully applied apparatus, must not be overlooked among the occasional incidents; nor must lockjaw, which is not an uncommon occurrence.”
“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tetanus, also known as lockjaw disease, can cause painful tightening of muscles in the body, and can lead to death in one out of 10 cases.”
“Tetanus: Also known as lockjaw; causes painful muscle spasms, breathing failure, death”
“They are: diphtheria, a respiratory infection; tetanus, which is also known as lockjaw; and pertussis, which is also known as whooping cough.”
“She had a kind of lockjaw of grief such as children suffer and suffer for.”
“Tetanus, also known as "lockjaw;" Diphtheria, an upper respiratory disease; and Pertussis, also known as "whooping cough.”
“Sadly, the goldeye were apparently exhibiting the kind of lockjaw that often comes with scudding clouds and falling barometers.”
“= of tetanus; illness also known as "lockjaw"; caused by bacteria”
“The most eminent physician of the thirteenth century, Gilbertus Anglicus (Gilbert of England, 1170–1230), wrote that when treating a wounded nerve, it should first be cut across to relieve pain and prevent lockjaw (tetanus) and that a mixture of earthworms and oil beaten together should be applied.”
“And does the drone of a slow-trolling outboard motor give the fish lockjaw?”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘lockjaw’.
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Words without the letter E
chord, slur, anabaptist, anabolic, diabolic, turbid, torpid, somniloquist, trump, bipolar, dioxin, hydrocarbon and 107 more...
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MUSIC - jazz
Afro, habanera, pentatonic scale, bop, bebop, jazz, cool jazz, pentatonic, malignment, music genre, jazz musician, syncopate and 437 more...
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sionnach's Words
contumely, fomite, holmgang, poltroon, eleemosynary, obsidian, nugatory, grindcore, felch, recrudescent, pyx, parenteral and 3271 more...
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Words I like
I like these words because I think they flow and sound okay
love, writhe, pulse, live, thank you, breathe, liquify, vanish, stopper, macadamia, jaundiced, Leviathan and 61 more...
Tweets
Looking for tweets for lockjaw.
yarb Mild lockjaw is no great hardship. Nov 12, 2007
sionnach One of the few words in English containing the letter sequence 'kj'. Nov 12, 2007