An archaic or obsolete verb meaning to roll together or to drive convulsively (rarely used in modern English).
From Latin 'convellere,' composed of 'con-' (together) and 'vellere' (to pull or pluck), literally meaning 'to pull together.' The word fell out of common usage by the 17th century.
This forgotten verb shows how Latin's precision—'convellere' perfectly captured the physical sensation of being pulled in multiple directions at once—eventually gave way to simpler modern terms.
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