burst at the seams

verb

To be too full; to hold more than can be comfortably accommodated.

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Meanings

verbburst at the seams (third-person singular simple present bursts at the seams, present participle bursting at the seams, simple past and past participle burst at the seams)

present singular third person bursts at the seams · participle present bursting at the seams

  1. To be too full; to hold more than can be comfortably accommodated.

    "HS2 is based on the West Coast Main Line bursting at the seams. Both that and the East Coast Main Line are at bursting point for capacity.

    2020 June 3, Richard Clinnick, “Network News: HS2 progress: "volume of activity is growing"”, in Rail, page 11

Translations

Czech praskat ve švech
  • praskat ve švechTranslations
Finnish natista liitoksistaan
  • natista liitoksistaanTranslations
French être plein à craquer
  • être plein à craquerTranslations
German aus allen Nähten platzen
  • aus allen Nähten platzenTranslations
Italian essere pieno zeppo
  • essere pieno zeppoTranslations
Polish pękać w szwach
  • pękać w szwachTranslations
Portuguese rebentar pelas costuras
  • rebentar pelas costurasTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

burst at the seams. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/burst%20at%20the%20seams

MLA

“burst at the seams.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/burst%20at%20the%20seams. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “burst at the seams,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/burst%20at%20the%20seams.

Source: burst at the seams on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.