I. (ˈ) ̷ ̷| ̷ ̷ intransitive verb
Etymology: Middle English outbreken, from Old English ūtbrecan, from ūt out + brecan to break — more at out , break
: to break out
there outbroke the blast of a horn — Stephen Graham
II. ˈ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ noun
Etymology: out (III) + break (after break out )
1.
a. : a bursting forth : a sudden or violent breaking out of activity
the outbreak of war
an outbreak of new building
outbreaks of experimentation on group effects among the lower animals — W.C.Allee
b. : a sudden rise in the incidence of a disease especially to epidemic or near epidemic proportions
an outbreak of flu
c. : a sudden increase in numbers of a harmful or noxious insect or other organism within a particular area
an outbreak of locusts
an outbreak center
2. : insurrection , revolt
a slave outbreak
famine conditions led to outbreaks in many cities