pret. and pp. burst. The old participle bursten is nearly obsolete.

To fly or break open with force, or with sudden violence; to suffer a violent disruption. The peculiar force of this word is, in expressing a sudden rupture, with violence, or expansion, or both. Hence it is generally used to signify the sudden rupture of a thing by internal force, and a liberation from confinement; as, to burst from a prison; the heart bursts with grief.

To break away; to spring from; as, to burst from the arms.

To come or fall upon suddenly or with violence; to rush upon unexpectedly; as, a sound bursts upon our ears.

To issue suddenly, or to come from a hidden or retired place into more open view; as, a river bursts from a valley; a spring bursts from the earth.

To break forth into action suddenly; as, to burst into tears.

To break or rush in with violence; as, to burst into a house or a room. It is often followed by an intensive particle; as, out, forth, away, from, or asunder.

To break or rend by force or violence; to open suddenly; as, to burst a chain or a door; to burst a cannon.

A sudden disruption; a violent rending; more appropriately, a sudden explosion or shooting forth; as a burst of thunder; a burst of applause, a burst of passion.

A rupture, a hernia, or the unnatural protrusion of the contents of the abdomen.

or a. Affected with a rupture or hernia.

Opened or rent asunder by violence.