bə:st v. & n. --v. (past
and past part. burst) 1 a intr. break suddenly and violently
apart by
expansion of contents or
internal pressure. b tr.
cause to do
this. c tr.
send (a
container etc.) violently apart. 2 a tr.
open forcibly. b intr.
come open or be opened forcibly. 3 a intr. (usu. foll. by
in, out)
make one's
way suddenly, dramatically, or by force. b tr. break
away from or
through (the
river burst
its banks). 4 tr. & intr.
fill or be full to overflowing. 5 intr.
appear or come suddenly (burst
into flame; burst
upon the view;
sun burst out). 6 intr. (foll. by into) suddenly
begin to shed or utter (esp. burst into tears or
laughter or song). 7 intr. be as if
about to burst
because of
effort, excitement, etc. 8 tr.
suffer bursting of (burst a blood-vessel). 9 tr.
separate (continuous stationery) into
single sheets. --n. 1 the
act of or an
instance of bursting; a
split. 2 a
sudden issuing
forth (burst of flame). 3 a sudden
outbreak (burst of applause). 4 a a
short sudden effort; a
spurt. b a
gallop. 5 an
explosion. øburst
out 1 suddenly begin (burst out laughing). 2
exclaim. [OE berstan f. Gmc]
