- 1a short period of a particular activity or strong emotion that often starts suddenly a sudden burst of activity/energy/anger/enthusiasm Her breath was coming in short bursts. I tend to work in bursts. spontaneous bursts of applause bursts of laughter
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- 2an occasion when something bursts; the hole left where something has burst a burst in a water pipe
- 3a short series of shots from a gun frequent bursts of machine-gun fire
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