Dictionary
burst
Pronunciation: (bûrst), [key]
—v., burst or, often, burst•ed, burst•ing,
—n.
—
v.i.
1. to break, break open, or fly apart with sudden violence:
The bitter cold caused the pipes to burst.
2. to issue forth suddenly and forcibly, as from confinement or through an obstacle:
Oil burst to the surface. He burst through the doorway.
3. to give sudden expression to or as if to emotion:
to burst into applause; to burst into tears.
4. to be extremely full, as if ready to break open:
The house was bursting with people.
5. to appear suddenly; become visible, audible, evident, etc., all at once:
The sun burst through the clouds.
—
v.t.
1. to cause to break or break open suddenly and violently:
He burst the balloon.
2. to cause or suffer the rupture of:
to burst a blood vessel.
3. to separate (the parts of a multipart stationery form consisting of interleaved paper and carbon paper).
4. 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.
—
n.
1. an act or instance of bursting.
2. a sudden, intense display, as of activity, energy, or effort:
The car passed us with a burst of speed.
3. a sudden expression or manifestation, as of emotion:
a burst of affection.
4. a sudden and violent issuing forth:
a burst of steam from the pipe.
5. Mil.
a. the explosion of a projectile, esp. in a specified place:
an air burst.
b. 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.
6. the result of bursting; breach; gap:
a burst in the dike.
7. a sudden appearance or opening to view.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
