ə̇ˈrəpt, ēˈ- verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Latin eruptus past participle of erumpere to burst forth, break out, from e- + rumpere to break — more at rupture
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent up (as lava or steam)
a volcano may erupt explosively or quietly
the man erupted with anger
b.
(1) : to burst from or as if from limits or restraint : emerge with a sudden often violent rush (as from a volcano or geyser) : burst
towering flames erupt from the oil tank
steam erupts from the geyser
: irrupt
a new leader erupts upon the national scene
shouting men erupted into the square
(2) of a tooth : to emerge through the gum
c. : to become active or violent : break forth : explode
the village erupts into celebration
the chorus erupts into song
hostility erupted into bloody clashes
war erupted between the two nations
2.
a. : to break out with or as if with a skin eruption
erupted with measles
the literature of the day erupted with essays on the general depravity of the jazz age — Esquire's Jazz Book
b. : to appear in numbers suddenly
pimples erupt all over the skin
: burgeon
the multiplicity of the schemes that seem to erupt all over the place — E.E.Schattschneider
transitive verb
: to force out or release (as something pent up) usually suddenly and violently : cause to erupt : throw out : expel , eject
the volcano erupted lava bombs
the general erupted orders — Frederic Sondern
living populations will continue to erupt new biotypes — American Naturalist
• erupt·ible -təbəl adjective