burst at the seams

burst at the seams

Meaning

• to be filled up to the brim
• to be handling something which is beyond the normal capacity
• a large number of people
• an over-booking of something
• to break open in a sudden manner because something was over-packed

Example Sentences

1. The meal was absolutely delicious but now I am bursting at the seams.
2. I went to my uncle's house for the wedding and since the whole family was there, it was bursting at the seams.
3. All the movie halls were bursting at the seams with the release of this block buster.
4. Since the hotel was bursting at the seams I spent the holiday at a suite apartment.
5. The place was bursting at the seams when the film star arrived.
6. This concern hall is usually bursting at the seams.
7. All hill stations were bursting at the seams and they had to settle for spending the weekend at home only.

Origin

The phrase refers to the ‘seams; (the place where one piece of cloth is stitched with another one) of clothing that threatens to rupture when the garment that is made out if it is too tight for the individual wearing it. It is used in a hyperbolic manner. The origination is speculated to be from the 17^th century when women wore corsets. The women who chose not to would be subjected to banter about the seams of their dresses.