dam burst
Reservoir wall breach
A dam burst is the sudden failure of a dam, releasing the water it held back in a catastrophic flood.
The phrase appears literally in news reports and figuratively for any sudden release of something long contained: When she finally spoke, the dam burst and years of resentment poured out.
The figurative use emphasizes both the buildup of pressure and the uncontrollable nature of what follows.
- floodOverwhelming water overflow
- swept awayRemoved by force
- collapseSudden structural failure
- breachBreaking of agreement
- ruptureViolent tearing apart
structural failure · water · surge · flash flood · rushing water · deluge · torrent · disaster · act of God · evacuation · debris · destruction · wall · concrete · reservoir · overflow · wall of water · cascade
- water hazardsflash flood, river flood, coastal flooding, flooding, tsunami
- outburstseruption, tantrum, meltdown, explosion, outbreak