burst

[ burst ]

/ bɜrst /

verb (used without object), burst or, often, burst·ed, burst·ing.

to break, break open, or fly apart with sudden violence: The bitter cold caused the pipes to burst.

to issue forth suddenly and forcibly, as from confinement or through an obstacle: Oil burst to the surface. He burst through the doorway.

to give sudden expression to or as if to emotion: to burst into applause; to burst into tears.

to be extremely full, as if ready to break open: The house was bursting with people.

to appear suddenly; become visible, audible, evident, etc., all at once: The sun burst through the clouds.

verb (used with object), burst or, often, burst·ed, burst·ing.

to cause to break or break open suddenly and violently: He burst the balloon.

to cause or suffer the rupture of: to burst a blood vessel.

to separate (the parts of a multipart stationery form consisting of interleaved paper and carbon paper).

noun

an act or instance of bursting.

a sudden, intense display, as of activity, energy, or effort: The car passed us with a burst of speed.

a sudden expression or manifestation, as of emotion: a burst of affection.

a sudden and violent issuing forth: a burst of steam from the pipe.

Military.

the explosion of a projectile, especially in a specified place: an air burst.
a rapid sequence of shots fired by one pull on the trigger of an automatic weapon: A burst from the machine gun shattered all the windows.

the result of bursting; breach; gap: a burst in the dike.

a sudden appearance or opening to view.

Idioms for burst

burst at the seams, to be filled to or beyond normal capacity: This room will be bursting at the seams when all the guests arrive.

Origin of burst

before 1000; Middle English bersten, bursten, Old English berstan (past. plural burston), cognate with Old High German brestan (German bersten), Old Norse bresta; akin to break

SYNONYMS FOR burst

1 crack, explode.

6 rend, tear.

10 spurt.

11, 12 outbreak.

usage note for burst

See bust².

OTHER WORDS FROM burst

non·burst·ing, adjective, noun un·burst, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH burst

bust burst (see usage note at bust²)

Words nearby burst

bursiform, bursitis, bursolith, bursopathy, bursotomy, burst, burst at the seams, burst into, burst out, burst with, burster

British Dictionary definitions for burst at the seams

burst

/ (bɜːst) /

verb bursts, bursting or burst

to break or cause to break open or apart suddenly and noisily, esp from internal pressure; explode

(intr) to come, go, etc, suddenly and forcibly he burst into the room

(intr) to be full to the point of breaking open

(intr) to give vent (to) suddenly or loudly to burst into song

to cause or suffer the rupture of to burst a blood vessel

noun

a sudden breaking open or apart; explosion

a break; breach; rupture

a sudden display or increase of effort or action; spurt a burst of speed

a sudden and violent emission, occurrence, or outbreak a burst of heavy rain; a burst of applause

a volley of fire from a weapon or weapons

adjective

broken apart; ruptured a burst pipe

Derived forms of burst

burster, noun

Word Origin for burst

Old English berstan; related to Old Norse bresta, Old Frisian bersta, Old High German brestan; compare break

Idioms and Phrases with burst at the seams

burst at the seams

Be filled to or beyond normal capacity. For example, On her wedding day the church was bursting at the seams, or That was a wonderful meal, but I'm bursting at the seams. This expression alludes to rupturing the seams of a garment too tight for the wearer and is generally used hyperbolically. Also see come apart at the seams.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

burst

verb (used without object), burst or, often, burst·ed, burst·ing.

verb (used with object), burst or, often, burst·ed, burst·ing.

noun

Idioms for burst

Origin of burst

SYNONYMS FOR burst

usage note for burst

OTHER WORDS FROM burst

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH burst

Words nearby burst

British Dictionary definitions for burst at the seams

verb bursts, bursting or burst

noun

adjective

Derived forms of burst

Word Origin for burst

Idioms and Phrases with burst at the seams

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

burst

verb (used without object), burst or, often, burst·ed, burst·ing.

verb (used with object), burst or, often, burst·ed, burst·ing.

noun

Idioms for burst

Origin of burst

SYNONYMS FOR burst

usage note for burst

OTHER WORDS FROM burst

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH burst

Words nearby burst

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for burst at the seams

verb bursts, bursting or burst

noun

adjective

Derived forms of burst

Word Origin for burst

Idioms and Phrases with burst at the seams

British Dictionary definitions for burst at the seams