BURST

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does burst mean? 

• BURST (noun)
  The noun BURST has 4 senses:

1. the act of exploding or bursting

2. rapid simultaneous discharge of firearms

3. a sudden flurry of activity (often for no obvious reason)

4. a sudden intense happening

  Familiarity information: BURST used as a noun is uncommon.

• BURST (verb)
  The verb BURST has 8 senses:

1. come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure

2. force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent up

3. burst outward, usually with noise

4. move suddenly, energetically, or violently

5. be in a state of movement or action

6. emerge suddenly

7. cause to burst

8. break open or apart suddenly and forcefully

  Familiarity information: BURST used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BURST (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of exploding or bursting

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

burst; explosion

Context example:

the burst of an atom bomb creates enormous radiation aloft

Hypernyms ("burst" is a kind of...):

change of integrity (the act of changing the unity or wholeness of something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "burst"):

detonation (the act of detonating an explosive)

fulmination (the act of exploding with noise and violence)

Derivation:

burst (burst outward, usually with noise)

burst (come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Rapid simultaneous discharge of firearms

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

burst; fusillade; salvo; volley

Context example:

our fusillade from the left flank caught them by surprise

Hypernyms ("burst" is a kind of...):

fire; firing (the act of firing weapons or artillery at an enemy)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A sudden flurry of activity (often for no obvious reason)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

burst; fit

Context example:

a fit of housecleaning

Hypernyms ("burst" is a kind of...):

activity (any specific behavior)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "burst"):

fits and starts (repeated bursts of activity)

Derivation:

burst (be in a state of movement or action)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A sudden intense happening

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

burst; flare-up; outburst

Context example:

a burst of lightning

Hypernyms ("burst" is a kind of...):

happening; natural event; occurrence; occurrent (an event that happens)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "burst"):

salvo (an outburst resembling the discharge of firearms or the release of bombs)

rush (a sudden burst of activity)

• BURST (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

break open; burst; split

Context example:

The bubble burst

Hypernyms (to "burst" is one way to...):

break; come apart; fall apart; separate; split up (become separated into pieces or fragments)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "burst"):

pop (burst open with a sharp, explosive sound)

blow (burst suddenly)

stave; stave in (burst or force (a hole) into something)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

burst (the act of exploding or bursting)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent up

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Synonyms:

break; burst; erupt

Context example:

erupt in anger

Hypernyms (to "burst" is one way to...):

express emotion; express feelings (give verbal or other expression to one's feelings)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Sense 3

Meaning:

Burst outward, usually with noise

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

burst; explode

Context example:

The champagne bottle exploded

Hypernyms (to "burst" is one way to...):

change integrity (change in physical make-up)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "burst"):

crump (explode heavily or with a loud dull noise)

go off (be discharged or activated)

belch; erupt; extravasate (become active and spew forth lava and rocks)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

burst (the act of exploding or bursting)

burster (a quantity of explosive to be set off at one time)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Move suddenly, energetically, or violently

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

He burst out of the house into the cool night

Hypernyms (to "burst" is one way to...):

bound; jump; leap; spring (move forward by leaps and bounds)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Sense 5

Meaning:

Be in a state of movement or action

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

abound; bristle; burst

Context example:

The garden bristled with toddlers

Hypernyms (to "burst" is one way to...):

feature; have (have as a feature)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

The streets burst with crowds

Derivation:

burst (a sudden flurry of activity (often for no obvious reason))

Sense 6

Meaning:

Emerge suddenly

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

The sun burst into view

Hypernyms (to "burst" is one way to...):

emerge (come out into view, as from concealment)

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Sense 7

Meaning:

Cause to burst

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

burst; collapse

Context example:

The ice broke the pipe

Cause:

break; cave in; collapse; fall in; founder; give; give way (break down, literally or metaphorically)

Verb group:

break; cave in; collapse; fall in; founder; give; give way (break down, literally or metaphorically)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "burst"):

pop (cause to burst with a loud, explosive sound)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 8

Meaning:

Break open or apart suddenly and forcefully

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

burst; bust

Context example:

The dam burst

Hypernyms (to "burst" is one way to...):

break; come apart; fall apart; separate; split up (become separated into pieces or fragments)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "burst"):

shatter (break into many pieces)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

 Context examples 

The wind came now with fiercer and more bitter sweeps, and more steadily from the north. It seemingly had driven the snow clouds from us, for, with only occasional bursts, the snow fell.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Testing the device's ability to protect itself of other devices against sudden bursts of current or voltage.

(Device Surge Protection Testing Evaluation Method, Food and Drug Administration)

He burst upon them in a fury.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

This leads to a decrease in burst firing of thalamocortical neurons, which stabilizes the nerve activity in the brain and prevents seizures.

(Ethosuximide, NCI Thesaurus)

They burst into loud laughter at Dutchy's nonsense.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

Ions flow out, but large molecules stay in, causing water to flood into the cell and ultimately burst the cell from osmotic pressure.

(Classical Complement Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

A device that experienced problems due to sudden and momentary bursts of electrical current flowing between 2 objects at different electrical potentials.

(Device Electrostatic Discharge Evaluation Result, Food and Drug Administration)

Often, in desperation, he burst into long stretches of flight.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

But I live on broken wittles—and I sleep on the coals”—here the waiter burst into tears.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation.

(Two Significant Solar Flares Imaged by NASA's SDO, NASA)