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Rupture vs Puncture - What's the difference?

rupture | puncture |

As nouns the difference between rupture and puncture

is that rupture is a burst, split, or break while puncture is the act or an instance of puncturing.

As verbs the difference between rupture and puncture

is that rupture is to burst, break through, or split, as under pressure while puncture is to pierce; to break through; to tear a hole.

rupture

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A burst, split, or break.
  • * Milton
  • Hatch from the egg, that soon, / Bursting with kindly rupture , forth disclosed / Their callow young.
  • A social breach or break, between individuals or groups.
  • * E. Everett
  • He knew that policy would disincline Napoleon from a rupture with his family.
  • (medicine) A break or tear in soft tissue, such as a muscle.
  • (engineering) A failure mode in which a tough ductile material pulls apart rather than cracking.
  • Verb

    (ruptur)
  • (intransitive) To burst, break through, or split, as under pressure.
  • See also

    *

    puncture

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act or an instance of puncturing.
  • * 2012 , July 15. Richard Williams in Guardian Unlimited, Tour de France 2012: Carpet tacks cannot force Bradley Wiggins off track
  • A tough test for even the strongest climber, it was new to the Tour de France this year, but its debut will be remembered for the wrong reasons after one of those spectators scattered carpet tacks on the road and induced around 30 punctures among the group of riders including Bradley Wiggins, the Tour's overall leader, and his chief rivals.
  • A hole, cut, or tear created by a sharp object.
  • * 2001 , , Dutton, ISBN 0525946284, page 340,
  • Dieter's car had suffered a puncture on the RN3 road between Paris and Meaux. A bent nail was stuck in the tire.
  • * Rambler
  • A lion may perish by the puncture of an asp.

    Synonyms

    * flat tyre; (informal US) flat

    Derived terms

    * puncturer

    Verb

  • To pierce; to break through; to tear a hole.
  • The needle punctured the balloon instantly.

    Derived terms

    * aquapuncture * electropuncture * laserpuncture * punctured interval * punctured neighborhood