burst
- 01 B1 Intermediate
v.to break open suddenly because there is too much pressure inside.
v.to rupture or break open violently as a result of internal pressure.
Simple“The balloon burst when it touched the sharp branch of the tree.”
In context“The water pipes burst during the night because the temperature dropped well below freezing, causing the water inside to expand.”
PitfallThe balloon bursted when he touched it. The balloon burst when he touched it.The past tense and past participle of 'burst' is 'burst', not 'bursted'.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to move somewhere very quickly and suddenly, often through a door.
v.to enter or exit a space hurriedly and unexpectedly.
Simple“The children burst into the room to show their parents the new puppy.”
In context“The protesters burst through the security gates before the guards had a chance to react to the sudden surge of the crowd.”
- 03 B1 Intermediate
v.to suddenly start doing something, like crying, laughing, or singing.
v.to suddenly begin an activity or change state, often used with 'into'.
Simple“The audience burst into laughter after the comedian told the final joke.”
In context“She burst into tears upon hearing the news, unable to contain her relief after weeks of stressful uncertainty.”
Synonyms - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a short, sudden period of energy, emotion, or activity.
n.a sudden, intense, and brief manifestation or display of something.
Simple“A sudden burst of energy helped him finish the race in first place.”
In context“The athlete relied on a final burst of speed to overtake his rivals in the closing meters of the marathon.”
- 05 C1 Advanced
n.a short series of shots from a gun or a sudden explosion.
n.a series of shots fired from an automatic weapon or the detonation of an explosive device.
Simple“We heard a short burst of gunfire coming from the training range.”
In context“The soldiers were trained to fire in short, controlled bursts to maintain accuracy and conserve ammunition during the engagement.”
Synonyms
Usage burst into tears · burst of light
“A group of South Korean tourists burst into enthusiastic applause.”
“Thiago has the profile of a forward who can deliver in bursts, particularly against weaker opposition, and Brentford are likely to continue looking for him regularly inside the penalty area.”
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 adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.