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Burst

//bɝst// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun

1
An act or instance of bursting.
"The bursts of the bombs could be heard miles away."
2
the act of exploding or bursting wordnet
3
A sudden, often intense, expression, manifestation or display.
"I read it in two bursts."
4
a sudden flurry of activity (often for no obvious reason) wordnet
5
A series of shots fired from an automatic firearm.

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6
rapid simultaneous discharge of firearms wordnet
7
The explosion of a bomb or missile.
"a ground burst; a surface burst"
8
a sudden intense happening wordnet
9
A drinking spree. archaic

Verb

1
To break from internal pressure. intransitive
"I blew the balloon up too much, and it burst."
2
burst outward, usually with noise wordnet
3
To cause to break from internal pressure. transitive
"I burst the balloon when I blew it up too much."
4
come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure wordnet
5
To cause to break by any means. obsolete, transitive
"You will not pay for the glasses you have burst?"

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6
break open or apart suddenly and forcefully wordnet
7
To separate (printer paper) at perforation lines. transitive
"I printed the report on form-feed paper, then burst the sheets."
8
emerge suddenly wordnet
9
To enter or exit hurriedly and unexpectedly. intransitive
"1913, Mariano Azuela, The Underdogs, translated by E. MunguÍa, Jr. Like hungry dogs who have sniffed their meat, the mob bursts in, trampling down the women who sought to bar the entrance with their bodies."
10
force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent up wordnet
11
To erupt; to change state suddenly as if bursting. intransitive
"The flowers burst into bloom on the first day of spring."
12
move suddenly, energetically, or violently wordnet
13
To produce as an effect of bursting. transitive
"to burst a hole through the wall"
14
cause to burst wordnet
15
To interrupt suddenly in a violent or explosive manner; to shatter. transitive
"The sharp report of a gun burst the silence, and a moment later the gate swung open."
16
be in a state of movement or action wordnet

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English bresten, bersten, from Old English berstan, from Proto-West Germanic *brestan, from Proto-Germanic *brestaną, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰres- (“to burst, break, crack, split, separate”), enlargement of *bʰreHi- (“to snip, split”). See also West Frisian boarste, Dutch barsten, Danish briste, Swedish brista; also Irish bris (“to break”)). More at brine. Also cognate to debris.

Etymology 2

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