Wordnet 3.0
NOUN (1)
1.
a severe and rapid and sometimes fatal hypersensitivity reaction to a substance (especially a vaccine or penicillin or shellfish or insect venom) to which the organism has become sensitized by previous exposure;
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
anaphylactic shock \anaphylactic shock\ n.
([a^]n`[.a]*f[imac]*l[a^]k"t[i^]k sh[o^]k`) (Med.)
Shock resulting from anaphylaxis[2]. It is a severe form of
physiological shock, often having a fatal outcome, and is
caused by an extreme immunological reaction to antigens. It
is characterized by smooth muscle contraction and capillary
dilation throughout the body, initiated by antibodies of the
IgE class. It is usually seen when an antigen to which a
person has become hypersensitized is injected intravenously
or subcutaneously. It is also called generalyzed
anaphylaxis or systemic anaphylaxis, and sometimes
anaphylaxis. --[Stedman]
[PJC + AS]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
anaphylactic shock
n 1: a severe and rapid and sometimes fatal hypersensitivity
reaction to a substance (especially a vaccine or penicillin
or shellfish or insect venom) to which the organism has
become sensitized by previous exposure