Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CLON'IC, a. [Gr. κλονος, a shaking or irregular motion.]

Shaking; convulsive; irregular; as, clonic spasm. – Coxe. Clonic spasm is that in which the muscles or muscular fibers contract and relax alternately, in quick succession, producing the appearance of agitation, as in epilepsy; used in contradistinction to tonic spasm.