To suddenly say something or begin an activity, especially a strong emotional reaction.
To suddenly say something loudly or start laughing/crying without being able to stop.
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
To suddenly begin laughing, crying, or another strong vocal or emotional reaction.
"The whole class burst out laughing when the teacher's hat fell off."
Mr. Bumble burst out laughing.
— Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist (1838)
To say something suddenly and with force, often from strong emotion.
""That's completely unfair!" she burst out, slamming her hand on the table."
To escape suddenly from a place of confinement.
"The prisoner burst out of his cell when the guard left the door unlocked."
To burst (break) and come out of something.
To suddenly say something loudly or start laughing/crying without being able to stop.
'Burst out laughing' and 'burst out crying' are fixed, very frequent collocations. When meaning 'to say suddenly', it is transitive and separable: 'burst out an accusation'. Also used literally for escaping from confinement.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
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