BURST UPON

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does burst upon mean? 

• BURST UPON (verb)
  The verb BURST UPON has 1 sense:

1. spring suddenly

  Familiarity information: BURST UPON used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BURST UPON (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Spring suddenly

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

burst in on; burst upon

Context example:

He burst upon our conversation

Hypernyms (to "burst upon" is one way to...):

break up; cut off; disrupt; interrupt (make a break in)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

 Context examples 

As we passed the point the whole cove burst upon our view, a half-moon of white sandy beach upon which broke a huge surf, and which was covered with myriads of seals.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

A few seconds later a roar like thunder burst upon our ears, and as the smoke thinned away there was no sign left of the Gloria Scott.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I shan't let anyone see you till you are done, and then we'll burst upon them like Cinderella and her godmother going to the ball, said Belle in her persuasive tone.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

He seemed dazed for a few seconds, and then full consciousness seemed to burst upon him all at once, and he started up.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

I had before been moved by the sophisms of the being I had created; I had been struck senseless by his fiendish threats; but now, for the first time, the wickedness of my promise burst upon me; I shuddered to think that future ages might curse me as their pest, whose selfishness had not hesitated to buy its own peace at the price, perhaps, of the existence of the whole human race.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

He burst upon them in a fury.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Suddenly the horror burst upon me that it was thus that Jonathan had seen those awful women growing into reality through the whirling mist in the moonlight, and in my dream I must have fainted, for all became black darkness.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)