An archaic or dialectal past tense and past participle of 'burst,' meaning to break suddenly or violently.
From Old English 'berstan,' related to German 'bersten.' This form was common in Middle English but was gradually replaced by the modern 'burst' form.
Shakespeare and early poets used 'brast' to create dramatic effects—'the door brast asunder!'—and it still appears in older ballads, giving them a lyrical, ancient flavor.
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