Emotions / B2

OWTB-urst/ˈaʊtbɜːst/

An outburst is a sudden expression of strong feeling, or a sudden start of something: an outburst of anger; an outburst of violence. Outcry is public protest (next entries); outbreak is disease or war (already in the dictionary). An outburst in the hearing still went on the record. Mix-up: outbreak / outcry. Do not call a planned speech an outburst.

Meaning

A sudden expression of strong feeling, or a sudden start of something.

Examples

• “An outburst in the hearing still went on the record, the minutes said.”
• “An outburst of applause after the verdict featured in the report, which is the sudden-show sense.”

Good to know

an outburst of + feeling / violence / applause. Close: outcry (public protest). Trap: outbreak. News, history, and orals. Sudden and unplanned, not a scheduled address.

Topics

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