Burst \Burst\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Burst; p. pr. & vb. n. Bursting. The past participle bursten is obsolete.]

[OE. bersten, bresten, AS. berstan (pers. sing. berste, imp. sing. b[ae]rst, imp. pl. burston, p. p. borsten); akin to D. bersten, G. bersten, OHG. brestan, OS. brestan, Icel. bresta, Sw. brista, Dan. briste. Cf. Brast, Break.]

1. To fly apart or in pieces; of break open; to yield to force or pressure, especially to a sudden and violent exertion of force, or to pressure from within; to explode; as, the boiler had burst; the buds will burst in spring. [1913 Webster]

From the egg that soon Bursting with kindly rupture, forth disclosed Their callow young. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

Note: Often used figuratively, as of the heart, in reference to a surcharge of passion, grief, desire, etc. [1913 Webster]

No, no, my heart will burst, an if I speak: And I will speak, that so my heart may burst. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

2. To exert force or pressure by which something is made suddenly to give way; to break through obstacles or limitations; hence, to appear suddenly and unexpectedly or unaccountably, or to depart in such manner; -- usually with some qualifying adverb or preposition, as forth, out, away, into, upon, through, etc. [1913 Webster]

Tears, such as angels weep, burst forth. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

And now you burst (ah cruel!) from my arms. --Pope. [1913 Webster]

A resolved villain Whose bowels suddenly burst out. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

We were the first that ever burst Into that silent sea. --Coleridge. [1913 Webster]

To burst upon him like an earthquake. --Goldsmith. [1913 Webster]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

Burst \Burst\ (b[^u]rst), v. t.

1. To break or rend by violence, as by an overcharge or by strain or pressure, esp. from within; to force open suddenly; as, to burst a cannon; to burst a blood vessel; to burst open the doors. [1913 Webster]

My breast I'll burst with straining of my courage. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

2. To break. [Obs.]

[1913 Webster]

You will not pay for the glasses you have burst? --Shak. [1913 Webster]

He burst his lance against the sand below. --Fairfax (Tasso). [1913 Webster]

3. To produce as an effect of bursting; as, to burst a hole through the wall. [1913 Webster]

Bursting charge. See under Charge. [1913 Webster]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

Burst \Burst\, n.

1. A sudden breaking forth; a violent rending; an explosion; as, a burst of thunder; a burst of applause; a burst of passion; a burst of inspiration. [1913 Webster]

Bursts of fox-hunting melody. --W. Irving. [1913 Webster]

2. Any brief, violent exertion or effort; a spurt; as, a burst of speed. [1913 Webster]

3. A sudden opening, as of landscape; a stretch; an expanse. [R.]

"A fine burst of country." --Jane Austen. [1913 Webster]

4. A rupture or hernia; a breach. [1913 Webster]

Source: The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
 

278 Moby Thesaurus words for "burst": access, ado, aggravated, agitation, antiaircraft barrage, backfire, bang, bark, barrage, belch, blast, blaze, blaze of temper, blow out, blow up, blowout, blowup, bombardment, boom, bother, botheration, box barrage, breach, break, break open, break up, breakage, broadside, broken, bump, burned, burst, burst of speed, bury, bust, busted, bustle, cache, cannonade, cannonry, canter, cascade, check, checked, chip, chipped, clap, clash, cleft, coffin, come apart, come unstuck, commotion, conceal, convulsion, cover, crack, cracked, crash, crazed, creeping barrage, crump, cut, cyclone, damaged, dash, dead run, debouchment, deflagration, deteriorated, detonate, detonation, discharge, disintegrate, dissiliency, dive, dogtrot, drive, drumfire, embittered, emergency barrage, enfilade, ensconce, entomb, eructation, eruption, exacerbated, exfoliate, explode, explosion, fall to pieces, feery-fary, ferment, fidgetiness, fire, fissure, fit, flank speed, flap, flare, flare up, flare-up, flash, flash fire, flat-out speed, flop, flurry, fluster, flutter, flutteriness, forced draft, fracture, fragment, fulguration, full gallop, fulminate, fulmination, fusillade, fuss, fussiness, gale, gallop, gap, give away, give way, go off, gunshot, gush, gust, hand gallop, harmed, headlong rush, heavy right foot, hide, high lope, high words, hubbub, hullabaloo, hurricane, hurt, impaired, imperfect, in bits, in pieces, in shards, inhume, injured, inter, inurn, irritated, irruption, jet, jog trot, knock, lacerated, lay away, lay to rest, let off, lope, lunge, maelstrom, mangled, maximum speed, mortar barrage, mushroom, mutilated, normal barrage, occult, open throttle, outbreak, outburst, paroxysm, pash, pitch, plant, plunge, pop, pother, puncture, put away, race, rap, rapids, rent, report, restlessness, rift, rip, rive, run, rupture, ruptured, rush, sally, salvo, scalded, scale, scamper, scene, scorched, scramble, screen, scud, scurry, scuttle, secrete, seizure, sepulcher, sepulture, set off, shatter, shattered, shiver, shoot, shot, shower, slam, slap, slash, slashed, slat, slice, slit, smack, smash, smashed, smatter, snap, spasm, spate, spew, splat, splinter, split, spray, spring a leak, sprint, sprung, spurt, standing barrage, start, stash, stew, stir, storm, swap, sweat, swirl, tap, tear, tempest, the worse for, thwack, to-do, tomb, torn, tornado, torrent, touch off, trot, tumult, unquiet, upheaval, volcan, volley, vortex, weakened, whack, wham, whap, whirl, whirlwind, whomp, whop, wide-open speed, worse, worse off, worsened

Source: Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
 

burst adj : suddenly and violently broken open especially from internal pressure (`busted' is an informal term for `burst'); "a burst balloon"; "burst pipes"; "burst seams"; "a ruptured appendix"; "a busted balloon" [syn: ruptured, busted]

noun

1: the act of exploding or bursting something; "the explosion of the firecrackers awoke the children"; "the burst of an atom bomb creates enormous radiation aloft" [syn: explosion]
2: rapid simultaneous discharge of firearms; "our fusillade from the left flank caught them by surprise" [syn: fusillade, salvo, volley]
3: a sudden flurry of activity (often for no obvious reason); "a burst of applause"; "a fit of housecleaning" [syn: fit]
4: a sudden violent happening; "an outburst of heavy rain"; "a burst of lightning" [syn: outburst, flare-up]

verb

1: break open or apart suddenly; "The bubble burst" [syn: split, break open]
2: force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent up; "break into tears"; "erupt in anger" [syn: break, erupt]
3: burst outward, usually with noise; "The champagne bottle exploded" [syn: explode] [ant: implode]
4: move suddenly, energetically, or violently; "He burst out of the house into the cool night"
5: be in a state of movement or action; "The room abounded with screaming children"; "The garden bristled with toddlers" [syn: abound, bristle]
6: emerge suddenly; "The sun burst into view"
7: cause to burst; "The ice broke the pipe" [syn: collapse]
8: break open or apart suddenly and forcefully; "The dam burst" [syn: bust]

Source: WordNet (r) 2.0
 

Burst \Burst\, n.

1. A sudden breaking forth; a violent rending; an explosion; as, a burst of thunder; a burst of applause; a burst of passion; a burst of inspiration.

Bursts of fox-hunting melody. --W. Irving.

2. Any brief, violent exertion or effort; a spurt; as, a burst of speed.

3. A sudden opening, as of landscape; a stretch; an expanse. [R.]

``A fine burst of country.'' --Jane Austen.

4. A rupture or hernia; a breach.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Burst \Burst\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Burst; p. pr. & vb. n. Bursting. The past participle bursten is obsolete.]

[OE. bersten, bresten, AS. berstan (pers. sing. berste, imp. sing. b[ae]rst, imp. pl. burston, p. p. borsten); akin to D. bersten, G. bersten, OHG. brestan, OS. brestan, Icel. bresta, Sw. brista, Dan. briste. Cf. Brast, Break.]

1. To fly apart or in pieces; of break open; to yield to force or pressure, especially to a sudden and violent exertion of force, or to pressure from within; to explode; as, the boiler had burst; the buds will burst in spring.

From the egg that soon Bursting with kindly rupture, forth disclosed Their callow young. --Milton.

Note: Often used figuratively, as of the heart, in reference to a surcharge of passion, grief, desire, etc.

No, no, my heart will burst, an if I speak: And I will speak, that so my heart may burst. --Shak.

2. To exert force or pressure by which something is made suddenly to give way; to break through obstacles or limitations; hence, to appear suddenly and unexpectedly or unaccountably, or to depart in such manner; -- usually with some qualifying adverb or preposition, as forth, out, away, into, upon, through, etc.

Tears, such as angels weep, burst forth. --Milton.

And now you burst (ah cruel!) from my arms. --Pope.

A resolved villain Whose bowels suddenly burst out. --Shak.

We were the first that ever burst Into that silent sea. --Coleridge.

To burst upon him like an earthquake. --Goldsmith.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Burst \Burst\ (b[^u]rst), v. t.

1. To break or rend by violence, as by an overcharge or by strain or pressure, esp. from within; to force open suddenly; as, to burst a cannon; to burst a blood vessel; to burst open the doors.

My breast I'll burst with straining of my courage. --Shak.

2. To break. [Obs.]

You will not pay for the glasses you have burst? --Shak.

He burst his lance against the sand below. --Fairfax (Tasso).

3. To produce as an effect of bursting; as, to burst a hole through the wall.

Bursting charge. See under Charge.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)