burst
verb /bɜːst/
/bɜːrst/
Verb Forms
Idioms Phrasal Verbs| present simple I / you / we / they burst | /bɜːst/ /bɜːrst/ |
| he / she / it bursts | /bɜːsts/ /bɜːrsts/ |
| past simple burst | /bɜːst/ /bɜːrst/ |
| past participle burst | /bɜːst/ /bɜːrst/ |
| -ing form bursting | /ˈbɜːstɪŋ/ /ˈbɜːrstɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive, transitive] to break open or apart, especially because of pressure from inside; to make something break in this way
- That balloon will burst if you blow it up any more.
- The dam burst under the weight of water.
- Shells were bursting (= exploding) all around us.
- (figurative) He felt he would burst with anger and shame.
- burst apart There was a danger that the engine would burst apart.
- burst something Don't burst that balloon!
- The river burst its banks and flooded nearby towns.
- a burst pipe
Synonyms explodeexplode- blow up
- go off
- burst
- erupt
- detonate
- explode to burst (= to break open or apart) loudly and violently, causing damage; to make something burst in this way:
- The jet smashed into a hillside and exploded.
- The bomb was exploded under controlled conditions.
- blow (something) up to be destroyed by an explosion; to destroy something by an explosion:
- A police officer was killed when his car blew up.
- go off (of a bomb) to explode; (of a gun) to be fired:
- The bomb went off in a crowded street.
- burst to break open or apart, especially because of pressure from inside; to make something break in this way:
- That balloon’s going to burst.
- erupt (of a volcano) to throw out burning rocks and smoke; (of burning rocks and smoke) to be thrown out of a volcano.
- detonate (rather formal) (of a bomb) to explode; to make a bomb explode:
- Two other bombs failed to detonate.
- a bomb explodes/blows up/goes off/bursts/detonates
- a car/plane/vehicle explodes/blows up
- a firework/rocket explodes/goes off
- a gun goes off
Extra Examples- My whole head felt like a ripe tomato, ready to burst.
- My whole head felt ready to burst.
- The ship was burst apart and its crew blasted to pieces.
- He burst a blood vessel during a fit of coughing.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- suddenly
- almost
- nearly
- …
- be about to
- be going to
- be ready to
- …
- out of
- with
- suddenly
- immediately
- instantly
- …
- be about to
- be going to
- be ready to
- …
- [intransitive] + adv./prep. to go or move somewhere suddenly with great force; to come from somewhere suddenly
- He burst into the room without knocking.
- Suddenly the door flew open and Jo burst in.
- The sun burst through the clouds.
- The words burst from her in an angry rush.
- I felt as though my heart would burst out of my chest.
- [intransitive] be bursting (with something) to be very full of something; to be very full and almost breaking open
- The roads are bursting with cars.
- to be bursting with ideas/enthusiasm/pride
- The hall was filled to bursting point.
- The hall was full to bursting.
- (informal) I’m bursting (for a pee)! (= I need to use the toilet right now).
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- suddenly
- almost
- nearly
- …
- be about to
- be going to
- be ready to
- …
- out of
- with
- suddenly
- immediately
- instantly
- …
- be about to
- be going to
- be ready to
- …
Word OriginOld English berstan, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch bersten, barsten.
Idioms
be bursting/bulging at the seams
- (informal) to be very full, especially of people
- Los Angeles is bursting at the seams with would-be actors.
- The film is bursting at the seams with good performances.
be bursting to do something
- to want to do something so much that you can hardly stop yourself
- She was bursting to tell him the good news.
the bubble bursts
- there is a sudden end to a good or lucky situation
- When the bubble finally burst, hundreds of people lost their jobs.
- The optimistic bubble has now burst and economists agree the recession will continue.
burst somebody’s bubble
- to bring an end to somebody’s hopes, happiness, etc.
- He seemed so happy, I couldn’t burst his bubble so soon.
burst open | burst something open
- to open suddenly or violently; to make something open in this way
- The door burst open.
- Firefighters burst the door open and rescued them.