burst into

Idioms

Also, . Break out into sudden activity. For example, burst into flames means “break out in a fire,” as in This dry woodpile may well burst into flames . A version of this term, which dates from the 16th century, was used figuratively by John Milton: “Fame is the spur ... But the fair guerdon [reward] when we hope to find, and think to burst out into sudden blaze” ( Lycidas , 1637).
Also, burst out . Give sudden utterance to. For example, , etc. mean “begin suddenly to weep, laugh, sing,” and so on, as in When she saw him, she burst into tears , or I burst out laughing when I saw their outfits , or When they brought in the cake, we all burst into song . These terms have been so used since the late 1300s.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Jack Whitehall sat down to interview them an hour into the show and the wheels not only fell off, they rolled out the door, careened down a hill, crashed into a taxi, burst into flames and destroyed a Waitrose.

From BBC

"I stood in the kitchen and my missus said to me, 'Hey Usman, I've never seen you look like this before', and I just burst into tears."

From BBC

The court hearing provided an unusual peek into hidden state bar proceedings, which are highly confidential and typically only burst into public view if an attorney is disciplined.

From Los Angeles Times

Amy Post responded to Maggie and Leah’s embarrassed cries, and burst into the room to halt the examination.

From Literature

Maggie was giving a follow-up interview to the New York Herald when Kate, just in from London, burst into the room.

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023