# outbreak

Pronunciation: say "OWT-brayk" /ˈaʊtbɹeɪk/

## Noun

1. The sudden appearance or eruption of a disease, rash, or similar condition.
   - Simple: The sudden start of a disease, rash, or sickness that can spread quickly.
   - _Health officials traced the outbreak to contaminated water at the county fair._
   - _A measles outbreak swept through the region after vaccination rates fell._
2. A sudden increase in the amount, number, or frequency of something.
   - Simple: A sudden rise in the number or amount of something.
   - _The merger announcement triggered an outbreak of speculation among investors._
   - _Cheap loans produced an outbreak of construction across the suburbs._
3. A sudden outburst or eruption of activity, especially violence or mischief.
   - Simple: A sudden burst of trouble, such as fighting or bad behavior.
   - _Police moved quickly to contain the outbreak of looting downtown._
   - _An outbreak of pranks plagued the dormitory during finals week._
5. An escape from prison or other confinement; a breakout.
   - Simple: An escape from prison, when prisoners get out and run away.
   - _Three inmates planned the outbreak for months, hiding tools in the laundry room._
   - _News of the outbreak spread quickly through the small town near the penitentiary._

## Verb

4. To burst out or break forth suddenly.
   - Simple: To start suddenly, often with force or strong feeling.
   - _Disease tends to outbreak where sanitation systems fail._
   - _Riots may outbreak if the verdict angers the crowd._

## Origin

From Middle English outbreken, from Old English ūtābrecan ("to break out"), equivalent to out- plus break. It is cognate with Dutch uitbreken and German ausbrechen ("to break out, erupt").

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