- burst at the seams
- burst at the seams1. Fig. to be very full and burst, perhaps at the seams. (Alludes to something that would burst at the seams if overfilled.) •
I am so full from dinner! I'm ready to burst at the seams.
•The room was so full it was bursting at the seams.
2. Fig. [for someone] to strain from holding in pride or laughter as if one might burst. •Tom nearly burst at the seams with pride.
•We laughed so hard we just about burst at the seams.
* * *{v. phr.}, {informal} To be too full or too crowded. * /John ate so much he was bursting at the seams./ * /Mary's album was so full of pictures it was bursting at the seams./
Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.