boiled down

- 5 dictionary results

boil

1 [boil]

–verb (used without object)

1.	to change from a liquid to a gaseous state, producing bubbles of gas that rise to the surface of the liquid, agitating it as they rise.

2.	to reach or be brought to the boiling point: When the water boils, add the meat and cabbage.

3.	to be in an agitated or violent state: The sea boiled in the storm.

4.	to be deeply stirred or upset.

5.	to contain, or be contained in, a liquid that boils: The kettle is boiling. The vegetables are boiling.

–verb (used with object)

6.	to cause to boil or to bring to the boiling point: Boil two cups of water.

7.	to cook (something) in boiling water: to boil eggs.

8.	to separate (sugar, salt, etc.) from a solution containing it by boiling off the liquid.

–noun

9.	the act or an instance of boiling.

10.	the state or condition of boiling: He brought a kettle of water to a boil.

11.	an area of agitated, swirling, bubbling water, as part of a rapids.

12.	Also called blow. Civil Engineering. an unwanted flow of water and solid matter into an excavation, due to excessive outside water pressure.

—Verb phrases

13.

boil down,

a.	to reduce the quantity of by boiling off liquid.

b.	to shorten; abridge.

c.	to be simplifiable or summarizable as; lead to the conclusion that; point: It all boils down to a clear case of murder.

14.

boil over,

a.	to overflow while boiling or as if while boiling; burst forth; erupt.

b.	to be unable to repress anger, excitement, etc.: Any mention of the incident makes her boil over.

—Idiom

15.

boil off, Textiles.

a.	to degum (silk).

b.	to remove (sizing, wax, impurities, or the like) from a fabric by subjecting it to a hot scouring solution.

Also, boil out.

Origin:
1250–1300; ME boillen < AF, OF boillir < L bullīre to bubble, effervesce, boil, v. deriv. of bulla bubble

Synonyms:
3. foam, churn, froth. 4. rage. Boil, seethe, simmer, stew are used figuratively to refer to agitated states of emotion. To boil suggests the state of being very hot with anger or rage: Rage made his blood boil. To seethe is to be deeply stirred, violently agitated, or greatly excited: A mind seething with conflicting ideas. To simmer means to be on the point of bursting out or boiling over: to simmer with curiosity, with anger. To stew is to worry, to be in a restless state of anxiety and excitement: to stew about (or over) one's troubles.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source

Link To boiled down

Word Origin & History

boil (n.)

"hard tumor," altered from M.E. bile (Kentish bele), perhaps by assoc. with the verb; from O.E. byl, byle, from W.Gmc. *bulja "swelling" (cf. Goth. ufbauljan "to puff up," Icel. beyla "hump"), from PIE base *bhel- "to swell" (see bole).

Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: boil
Pronunciation: 'boi(&)l
Function: noun
: a localized swelling and inflammation of the skin resulting from bacterial infection in a skingland, having a hard central core, and forming pus called also furuncle

Medical Dictionary

boil (boil)
n.
A painful, circumscribed pus-filled inflammation of the skin and subcutaneous tissue usually caused by a local staphylococcal infection. Also called furuncle.

Science Dictionary

boil (boil) Pronunciation Key
To change from a liquid to a gaseous state by being heated to the boiling point and being provided with sufficient energy. Boiling is an example of a phase transition.

Search another word or see boiled down on Thesaurus | Reference

»Podcast
»School gear

»Style guide
»Literary terms

Facebook TwitterFollow us:

About
·
Privacy Policy
·
Terms of Use
·
Advertise with Us
·
Link to Us
·
Contact Us