Throe (noun)

  1. A spasm of pain, especially during childbirth or in the stomach.
  2. A state of great emotional or mental distress.

Origin:

From old english þrāg ("a pressing, a pressing together, a squeezing"), from proto-germanic *þrōgiz ("a pressing, pressing together"), from proto-indo-european *terk- ("to twist, turn").

Examples:

  1. She was in the throes of labor.
  2. The patient was in the throes of a stomach cramp.
  3. He was in the throes of a panic attack.
  4. She was in the throes of a difficult decision.
  5. He was in the throes of a difficult break-up.
Some random words: moviemaker, marginalia, appeaser