English

Verb

burst out ‎(third-person singular simple present bursts out, present participle bursting out, simple past and past participle burst out)

1. (intransitive, literally) To appear suddenly.
   • 2001, Matthew Reilly, Temple:

     Shouts and screams burst out from the television's speakers

   • 2008, Tom Wolfe, Bonfire of the Vanities:

     They began scurrying to the sides, to make way for the rogue galaxy of bodies that had just burst out of the courtroom

2. (intransitive) To display emotion.
   • 1993, Leslie Feinberg, Stone butch blues:

     My parents exchanged amused glances and burst out laughing.

3. (intransitive) to speak emotionally or suddenly
   • 2007, Paul Laurence Dunbar, The Sport of the Gods:

     As soon as the woman's back was turned, Joe burst out, "There, there! see what you've done with your damned foolishness."

Usage notes

• (appear suddenly): Usually burst + out of, though burst out + from is possible.
• (emotional noise): particularly used as burst out laughing or burst out crying, or with another present participle. Consider also burst into laughter, burst into tears.

Anagrams

• outburst