Burst has 14 different meanings across 2 categories:
Noun
· Verb
Noun
1
the act of exploding or bursting
"the explosion of the firecrackers awoke the children"
"the burst of an atom bomb creates enormous radiation aloft"
2
rapid simultaneous discharge of firearms
"our fusillade from the left flank caught them by surprise"
3
a sudden flurry of activity (often for no obvious reason)
"a burst of applause"
"a fit of housecleaning"
4
a sudden intense happening
"an outburst of heavy rain"
"a burst of lightning"
5
An act or instance of bursting.
"The sudden burst of laughter from the crowd startled everyone in the room."
In plain English: A burst is an explosion of energy, sound, or light that happens suddenly and violently.
"The sudden burst of laughter from the crowd made everyone in the room smile."
Verb
1
come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure
"The bubble burst"
2
force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent up
"break into tears"
"erupt in anger"
3
burst outward, usually with noise
"The champagne bottle exploded"
4
move suddenly, energetically, or violently
"He burst out of the house into the cool night"
5
be in a state of movement or action
"The room abounded with screaming children"
"The garden bristled with toddlers"
6
emerge suddenly
"The sun burst into view"
7
cause to burst
"The ice broke the pipe"
8
break open or apart suddenly and forcefully
"The dam burst"
9
To break from internal pressure.
"The old pipe burst when water froze inside it and expanded due to internal pressure."
In plain English: To burst is to break open suddenly and forcefully, often letting something inside spill out.
"The balloon burst when he let go of his grip."
Example Sentences
"The sudden burst of laughter from the crowd made everyone in the room smile."
noun
"The balloon burst when he let go of his grip."
verb
"The dam finally burst after days of relentless rain."
verb
"He burst into tears when he saw his grandmother."
verb
"We had to run because the balloon was about to burst."
verb
Related Terms
Show all 92 terms ↓
Broader Terms (hypernyms)
Narrower Terms (hyponyms)
Origin
The word burst comes from Old English berstan, which traces back to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to burst, break, crack, split, or separate." Its original sense involved the action of something breaking apart or splitting open.