rupture

/ˈrʌptʃər/

/ˈrʌptʃə/

Other forms: ruptured; ruptures; rupturing

A rupture is a break or tear in something that pulls it apart. A rupture can be a literal break, like the one that happens in, say, a gas line, or it can be more figurative, as in a friendship or a business deal.

The oil spill was less of a spill than it was a rupture: the line leading to the well was severed, allowing the oil to flow into the ocean. Rupture works as both a noun and a verb. You can rupture the silence by screaming your head off, and any number of events in Star Trek can cause a rupture in the space-time continuum.

Definitions of rupture

1. noun

   the act of making a sudden noisy break
   type of:

   break, breakage, breaking

   the act of breaking something
2. noun

   the state of being torn or burst open
   types:

   hernia, herniation

   rupture in smooth muscle tissue through which a bodily structure protrudes

   herniated disc, ruptured intervertebral disc, slipped disc

   a painful rupture of the fibrocartilage of the disc between spinal vertebrae; occurs most often in the lumbar region

   colpocele, vaginocele

   hernia projecting into the vagina

   diverticulum

   a herniation through the muscular wall of a tubular organ (especially the colon)

   eventration

   protrusion of the intestine through the abdominal wall

   exomphalos

   an umbilical hernia at birth in which some abdominal organs push into the umbilical cord

   diaphragmatic hernia, hiatal hernia, hiatus hernia

   hernia resulting from the protrusion of part of the stomach through the diaphragm

   inguinal hernia

   hernia in which a loop of intestine enters the inguinal canal; the most common type of hernia in males

   keratocele

   hernia of the cornea

   laparocele

   hernia through the abdomen

   omphalocele, umbilical hernia

   protrusion of the intestine and omentum through a hernia in the abdominal wall near the navel; usually self correcting after birth

   type of:

   harm, hurt, injury, trauma

   any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.
3. noun

   a personal or social separation (as between opposing factions)
   synonyms: breach, break, falling out, rift, severance

   types:

   schism

   the formal separation of a church into two churches or the withdrawal of one group over doctrinal differences

   type of:

   breakup, detachment, separation

   coming apart
4. verb

   separate or cause to separate abruptly
   synonyms: bust, snap, tear

   types:

   lacerate

   cut or tear irregularly

   pull, rend, rent, rip, rive

   tear or be torn violently

   rip up, shred, tear up

   tear into shreds

   tease

   tear into pieces

   type of:

   disunite, divide, part, separate

   force, take, or pull apart