To feel extremely proud and happy about something, often to the point where the emotion feels overwhelming or barely containable.
This phrase uses the metaphor of a container under so much pressure it might explode, dating to the 16th century when 'burst' was commonly used for overwhelming emotions. The specific combination with 'pride' became popular in the 19th century, often describing parents' feelings about their children's achievements.
The violence of 'bursting' paired with the positive emotion of pride creates a fascinating paradox - it suggests that extreme happiness can feel almost destructive. It's one of the few phrases where we use explosive imagery to describe joy, showing how overwhelming positive emotions can be.
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