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outbreak

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Latest Disease Outbreaks
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out⋅break

  [out-breyk]
Use outbreak in a Sentence
–noun
1. a sudden breaking out or occurrence; eruption: the outbreak of war.
2. a sudden and active manifestation: an outbreak of hives.
3. an outburst: an outbreak of temper.
4. an insurrection, revolt, or mutiny.
5. a public disturbance; riot.
Origin:
1595–1605; out- + break
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Latest Disease Outbreaks
most current Global Information and Diagnostic Tool - Free GIDEON trial
www.GIDEONonline.com
out·break   (out'brāk')   
n.  

  1. A sudden increase: an outbreak of influenza.

  2. A sudden eruption; an outburst: "an outbreak of strikes, violent agitation, and arrests" (Samuel Chew).

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

outbreak  (n.)
"eruption" (of disease, hostilities, etc.), 1602, from out + break (v.).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: out·break
Pronunciation: 'aut-"brAk
Function: noun
1 : a sudden rise in the incidence of a disease outbreak ofmeasles>
2 : a sudden increase in numbers of a harmful organism and especially an insect within a particular area outbreak of locusts>
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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