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.
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 The past participle bursten is obsolete.]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. bærst, 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.
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.
Burst (bûrst), 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.