• (v. t.) To throw, as a muscle, into a state of permanent contraction; to cause tetanus in. See Tetanus, n., 2.
(tet´ә-nīz) to stimulate a muscle at progressively higher frequencies until successive contractions fuse and cannot be distinguished from one another.
Tet'a·nize transitive verb (Physiol.) To throw, as a muscle, into a state of permanent contraction; to cause tetanus in. See Tetanus , noun , 2. 
Type: Term Pronunciation: tet′ă-nīz Definitions: 1. To stimulate a muscle by a rapid series of stimuli so that the individual muscular responses (contractions) are fused into a sustained contraction; to cause tetanus (q.v. [2]) in a muscle.