boil
1to 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: Water boils at 100°C.
to reach or be brought to the boiling point: When the water boils, add the meat and cabbage.
to be in an agitated or violent state: The sea boiled in the storm.
to be deeply stirred or upset: I didn’t dare open my mouth, as I was boiling with rage.
to contain, or be contained in, a liquid that boils: The kettle is boiling.The vegetables are boiling.
to cause to boil or to bring to the boiling point: Boil two cups of water.
to cook (something) in boiling water: Don’t boil the eggs too long if you want soft yolks.
to separate (sugar, salt, etc.) from a solution containing it by boiling off the liquid: A basic candy can be made by simply boiling sugar in a pan.
the act, state, or condition of boiling:He brought a kettle of water to a boil.
a social event at which food is cooked in boiling water: We celebrated harvest and the end of summer with a corn boil in the backyard.A jam-packed frosh week kicks off with a crawfish boil and outdoor concert.
an area of agitated, swirling, bubbling water, such as part of a rapids: My flashlight beam shone on the boil of the river as it beat against the bridge’s foundations.
Also called blow .Civil Engineering. an unwanted flow of water and solid matter into an excavation, due to excessive outside water pressure.
boil down,
to reduce the quantity of by boiling off liquid: Boil the sauce down till it just covers the cutlets.
to shorten; abridge: I think you could boil this lengthy essay down to a couple of pages.
to be simplifiable or summarizable as; lead to the conclusion that; point: It all boils down to a basic lack of respect for their employees.
boil off, : Also boil out .
to remove or be removed by evaporation, as through boiling: The alcohol in this rum cake boils off in baking.Maple syrup is made by boiling off the excess water from the sap.
to degum (silk).
to remove (sizing, wax, impurities, or the like) from a fabric by subjecting it to a hot scouring solution.
boil out,
to clear deposits of calcium, minerals, etc., from (a vehicle’s radiator) by immersing it in boiling water for a time.
to eliminate by or as if by boiling: Unlike the germs in your drinking water, lead can't be boiled out.The events in the stories have had most of their specialness boiled out by decades of repetition.
boil over,
to overflow while boiling or as if while boiling; burst forth; erupt: Your soup boiled over and made a mess on the stove.
to be unable to suppress anger, excitement, etc.: Any mention of the incident makes her boil over.
Origin of boil
1synonym study For boil
Other words for boil
Other definitions for boil (2 of 2)
a painful, circumscribed inflammation of the skin or a hair follicle, having a dead, suppurating inner core: usually caused by a staphylococcal infection.
Origin of boil
2- Also called furuncle .
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use boil in a sentence
It all boils down to education just like everything else really.
The Next Frontier of Sex Ed: How Porn Twists Teens’ Brains | Aurora Snow | November 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTWhen I hear on television how Ukrainians are killing children, my blood boils.
There’s No Evidence the Ukrainian Army Crucified a Child in Slovyansk | Anna Nemtsova | July 15, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTOf course, this causes the nail clippers to oxidize and the water turns rusty, but it boils.
Tales of a Jailhouse Gourmet: How I learned to Cook in Prison | Daniel Genis | June 21, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTHowever, this suit really boils down to less about concussions, and more about the legality of informed consent.
Should Dan Marino Have Sued the NFL Over Concussions? | Dr. Anand Veeravagu, MD, Tej Azad | June 3, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST“Spalling” occurs when water in the concrete boils faster than it can escape, and steam blows flakes away from the surface.
Why Can’t America’s Newest Stealth Jet Land Like It’s Supposed To? | Bill Sweetman | May 26, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
One's blood boils to think of those poor children being cast off because our fine young ladies are too grand to teach them!
The Daisy Chain | Charlotte YongeIt crystallizes in prisms, having the odour and taste of peppermint; it melts at 42 and boils at 212.
Into two sentences totalling 27 words he boils down the drift of hundreds of cables and letters.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume 2 | Ian HamiltonThen the water boils over and finally becomes a bubbling volcano which readily ejects the contents of the jar.
The Boy Mechanic, Book 2 | VariousThe cosy fire is bright and gay, The merry kettle boils awayAnd hums a cheerful song.
The Book of Humorous Verse | Various
British Dictionary definitions for boil (1 of 2)
/ (bɔɪl) /
to change or cause to change from a liquid to a vapour so rapidly that bubbles of vapour are formed copiously in the liquid: Compare evaporate
to reach or cause to reach boiling point
to cook or be cooked by the process of boiling
(intr) to bubble and be agitated like something boiling; seethe: the ocean was boiling
(intr) to be extremely angry or indignant (esp in the phrase make one's blood boil): she was boiling at his dishonesty
(intr) to contain a boiling liquid: the pot is boiling
the state or action of boiling (esp in the phrases on the boil, off the boil)
Origin of boil
1Derived forms of boil
- boilable, adjective
British Dictionary definitions for boil (2 of 2)
/ (bɔɪl) /
a red painful swelling with a hard pus-filled core caused by bacterial infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissues, esp at a hair follicle: Technical name: furuncle
Origin of boil
2Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for boil
[ boil ]
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.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Other Idioms and Phrases with boil
In addition to the idioms beginning with boil
- boil down
- boiling point
- boil over
also see:
- make one's blood boil
- watched pot never boils
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
Browse