Meanings
plural succussations
- countableobsoleteuncountableViolent shaking or jolting.
in order, by a more frequent and a more convulsive elevation and depression of the diaphragm, and the succussations of the intercostal and abdominal muscles in laughter, to drive the gall and other bitter juices from the gall bladder
1761, Laurence Sterne, The Life & Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, volume 4, Penguin, published 2003, page 270 - countableobsoleteuncountableA trot or trotting.
lifting one foot before, and the cross foot behind, which is succussation or trotting
1650, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], 2nd edition, London: […] A[braham] Miller, for Edw[ard] Dod and Nath[aniel] Ekins, […], →OCLC1 more example
They rode, but authors having not / Determin'd whether pace or trot, / That is to say, whether tollutation, / As they do term't, or succussation […]
1663, Samuel Butler, Hudibras, part 1, canto 1
Origin
- Latinsuccussare
- Englishsuccussation
From Medieval Latin succussatio, from the past participle stem of Latin succussare, frequentative of succutere, from sub- + quatere (“shake”).
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Russian тря́ска, ры́сь
- тря́ска (trjáska)violent shaking or jolting
- ры́сь (rýsʹ)a trot or trotting
Cite this entry
succussation. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/succussation
“succussation.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/succussation. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “succussation,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/succussation.
Source: succussation on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.