1. Open with force
   "He broke open the picnic basket"
    
2. Come open suddenly and violently, as if from internal pressure
   "The pipe broke open when the water froze";
   - burst, split
    
3. Erupt or intensify suddenly
   "The storm broke open with fierce winds";
   - erupt, irrupt, flare up, flare, burst out

Derived forms: broke open, breaks open, breaking open, broken open

Type of: break, come apart, deepen, fall apart, intensify, open, open up, separate, split up

Encyclopedia: Break open