outbreaking

Pluraloutbreakings (some meanings)

1. 1
   verb

   Present participle of outbreak.

   Note

   The verb form, built separately from the noun as outbreak plus -ing, meaning "bursting out." Because the verb outbreak is intransitive, it takes no object and has no passive: riots are outbreaking, but nothing is outbreaking anything. It is spelled exactly like the older noun, and grammar tells them apart. After be it is the verb. After the, with of following, it is the noun.

2. 2
   noununcountable

   The act of breaking out or erupting suddenly.

   Soldiers braced for the outbreaking of fighting once the truce expired.

   Public health officials traced the outbreaking of the illness to a single well.

   Similareruption, onset, outburst

   Note

   An old noun in its own right rather than a fresh coinage: Middle English already had outbrekynge, formed either on outbreak plus -ing or on out- plus breaking. It takes a plural, outbreakings, so the act can be counted. Beside the plainer outbreak, the -ing ending keeps the breaking-out in view as something happening, which suits its pairing with a following of: the outbreaking of fighting, of illness.

3. 3
   nouncountable

   Anything that erupts outward or is emitted, such as a shower of sparks.

   The chimney's sudden outbreaking of sparks set the dry roof alight.

   A bright outbreaking of flame marked the start of the festival.

   Similarburst, outburst, eruption

   Note

   Here the word turns from the act to what the act releases. It usually takes of plus whatever escapes, such as sparks or flame, and it extends naturally to feelings, as in an outbreaking of passion. In that phrase the emotion is pictured like fire breaking loose. When it names a feeling, it suits a heightened, literary register better than everyday talk.

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