# burst

Pronunciation: say "BURST" US /bɝst/, UK /bɜːst/

## Verb

1. To break open suddenly from pressure building up inside.
   - Simple: To break open suddenly because of pressure pushing out from inside.
   - _Overinflated tires can burst on a hot highway._
   - _The dam burst after weeks of heavy rain._
2. To make something break open by pressure pushing out from inside.
   - Simple: To make something break open by adding too much pressure inside.
   - _Too much air pressure can burst a sealed container._
   - _The frost burst the water main overnight._
5. To enter or leave a place suddenly and unexpectedly.
   - Simple: To rush into or out of a place suddenly.
   - _Reporters burst into the hall before the announcement ended._
   - _He will burst through those doors the moment he hears the news._
6. To erupt or change state suddenly, as if breaking open.
   - Simple: To suddenly break into a strong action, like crying or catching fire.
   - _The crowd burst into song as the band started._
   - _Old wiring like this can burst into flame without warning._
7. To shatter something or interrupt it suddenly in a violent or explosive way.
   - Simple: To suddenly shatter or break into something with force.
   - _A sudden explosion burst the stillness of the morning._
   - _Such force can burst even reinforced glass._
8. To produce something, such as an opening, as the result of bursting.
   - Simple: To create something, like a hole, by breaking open.
   - _The torpedo burst a jagged hole below the waterline._
   - _Floodwater can burst a breach in even a strong levee._
11. To separate continuous printer paper into sheets along the perforation lines.
   - Simple: To tear apart sheets of printer paper along their dotted lines.
   - _The operator burst the printout into individual invoices._
   - _Modern machines fold, trim, and burst forms in one pass._

## Noun

3. An occurrence of something breaking open from pressure.
   - Simple: A sudden breaking open of something.
   - _The burst of the dam released millions of gallons._
   - _Engineers traced the flood to a single pipe burst._
4. A sudden, often intense, expression or display of something.
   - Simple: A sudden strong show of feeling, sound, or activity.
   - _A burst of applause greeted the winning goal._
   - _The composer wrote the finale in a single burst of inspiration._
9. The bursting apart of a bomb, shell, or missile when it detonates.
   - Simple: The explosion of a bomb, shell, or missile.
   - _The burst of the artillery shell scattered shrapnel across the field._
   - _Observers timed each burst to estimate the enemy's range._
10. A series of shots fired in quick succession from an automatic firearm.
   - Simple: A short, quick series of shots from an automatic gun.
   - _The gunner loosed a burst toward the tree line._
   - _Each burst emptied several rounds in under a second._

## Verb

12. To cause something to break by any means whatever. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To break something by any method at all.
   - _With a single heave he burst the wooden door from its hinges._
   - _Such strength might burst the stoutest fetters._

## Noun

13. A bout of heavy drinking; a drinking spree. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: A period of drinking a lot of alcohol.
   - _The sailors blew their pay on a riotous burst ashore._
   - _He returned from a week-long burst looking the worse for wear._

## Origin

From Middle English bresten, from Old English berstan, from Proto-Germanic *brestaną and ultimately Proto-Indo-European *bʰres- ("to burst, break, crack, split"). It is related to Dutch barsten, Swedish brista, and Irish bris ("to break"), and is cognate with debris.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/burst (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).