Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - burst

~1 v past tense and past participle burst 1 »BREAK OPEN« if something bursts or if you burst it, it breaks open or apart suddenly and violently so that its contents come out  (You're going to burst the balloon, if you're not careful.) 2 bursting with so full of something that there is no room for any more  (The barracks were bursting with refugees.) 3 »MOVE SUDDENLY« to move somewhere suddenly or quickly, especially into or out of a place + through/into/in etc  (Don't burst into my bedroom without knocking!) 4 burst open to suddenly be open  (The door burst open to reveal Francis holding a tray.) 5 be bursting to do sth informal to want to do something very much  (Mona's bursting to tell you the news.) 6 be bursting with pride/confidence/energy etc to be very proud, confident etc 7 be bursting informal to need to go to the toilet very soon 8 full to bursting so full that there is no room for any more  (I can't eat any more, I'm full to bursting!) 9 bursting at the seams so full that nothing else can fit inside  (- see also prick/burst the bubble bubble1 (4), burst sb's bubble bubble1 (5)) burst in on sth ~ phr v to interrupt something at an embarrassing moment  (I burst in on the meeting thinking that the room was empty.) burst into sth ~ phr v 1 to suddenly begin to make a sound, especially to start singing, crying, or laughing  (The audience burst into applause. | burst into song)  (Everyone on the bus burst into song as we got closer to home. | burst into tears)  (Benny suddenly burst into tears.) 2 burst into flames to suddenly start to burn very strongly  (The plane crashed into the hillside and burst into flames.) burst out ~ phr v 1 burst out laughing/crying etc to suddenly start to laugh, cry etc  (They all burst out laughing at the expression on her face.) 2 to suddenly say something forcefully  ("I don't believe it!" she burst out angrily.)  (- see also outburst (1)) ~2 n 1 the act of something bursting or the place where it has burst  (a burst in the water pipe) 2 a burst of sth a) a short sudden effort or increase in activity  (a burst of speed on the last lap) b) a short sudden and usually loud sound  (sharp bursts of machine gun fire) c) a sudden strong feeling or emotion  (bursts of violent temper)