ASTHMA

asthma. Asthma, n. a difficulty of breathing

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Asth″ma (?; 277), n. [[Gr. � short-drawn breath, fr. � to blow, for �: cf. Skr. vā, Goth. waian, to blow, E. wind.]] (Med.) A disease, characterized by difficulty of breathing (due to a spasmodic contraction of the bronchi), recurring at intervals, accompanied with a wheezing sound, a sense of constriction in the chest, a cough, and expectoration.