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broil - 9 dictionary results

broil

1  [broil]
Use broil in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to cook by direct heat, as on a gridiron over the heat or in an oven under the heat; grill: to broil a steak.
2. to scorch; make very hot.
–verb (used without object)
3. to be subjected to great heat; become broiled.
4. to burn with impatience, annoyance, etc.
–noun
5. the act or state of broiling; state of being broiled.
6. something broiled, esp. meat: She ordered a beef broil and salad.
Origin:
1300–50; ME brulen, brolyn, broillen < AF bruill(i)er, broil(l)er, OF brusler, brul(l)er to burn (F brûler), a conflation of the verbs represented by OF bruir to burn (< Frankish *brōjan; cf. MHG brü(ej)en, G brühen to scald) and usler < L ustulāre to scorch

Related forms:
broil⋅ing⋅ly, adverb

broil

2  [broil]
–noun
1. an angry quarrel or struggle; disturbance; tumult: a violent broil over who was at fault.
–verb (used without object)
2. to quarrel; brawl.
Origin:
1400–50; late ME broylen to present in disorder, quarrel < AF, OF broiller to jumble together < Gallo-Rom *brodiculāre, equiv. to *brod- (< Gmc; see broth, brewis ) + LL -iculāre v. suffix

Related forms:
broil⋅ing⋅ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To broil
broil 1   (broil)   
v.   broiled, broil·ing, broils

v.   tr.
  1. To cook by direct radiant heat, as over a grill or under an electric element.
  2. To expose to great heat.
v.   intr.
To be exposed to great heat.
n.  
  1. The act of broiling or the condition of being broiled.
  2. Food, especially meat, that is broiled.

[Middle English broilen, from Old French brusler, bruler, perhaps from usler, to burn (with br- from bruir, to burn), from Latin ustulāre, to scorch, from ustus, past participle of ūrere, to burn.]
broil 2   (broil)   
n.  A rowdy argument; a brawl. See Synonyms at brawl.
intr.v.   broiled, broil·ing, broils
To engage in a rowdy argument.

[From obsolete broil, to brawl, from Middle English broilen, from Anglo-Norman broiller, to mix up, confuse, from Old French brouiller, from breu, broth, brew, from Vulgar Latin *brodum, of Germanic origin; see bhreu- in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Broil

Broil\, n. [F. brouiller to disorder, from LL. brogilus, broilus, brolium, thicket, wood, park; of uncertain origin; cf. W. brog a swelling out, OHG. pr[=o]il marsh, G. br["u]hl, MHG. brogen to rise. The meaning tumult, confusion, comes apparently from tangled undergrowth, thicket, and this possibly from the meaning to grow, rise, sprout.] A tumult; a noisy quarrel; a disturbance; a brawl; contention; discord, either between individuals or in the state.

I will own that there is a haughtiness and fierceness in human nature which will which will cause innumerable broils, place men in what situation you please. --Burke.

Syn: Contention; fray; affray; tumult; altercation; dissension; discord; contest; conflict; brawl; uproar.

Broil

Broil\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Broiled; p. pr. & vb. n. Broiling.] [OE. broilen, OF. bruillir, fr. bruir to broil, burn; of Ger. origin; cf. MHG. br["u]ejen, G. br["u]hen, to scald, akin to E. brood.]

1. To cook by direct exposure to heat over a fire, esp. upon a gridiron over coals.

2. To subject to great (commonly direct) heat.

Broil

Broil\, v. i. To be subjected to the action of heat, as meat over the fire; to be greatly heated, or to be made uncomfortable with heat.

The planets and comets had been broiling in the sun. --Cheyne.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : broil
Spanish: asar a la parrilla,
German: grillen,
Japanese: あぶり焼きにする
More Translations »

broil  (1)
"cook," 1375, from O.Fr. bruller "to broil, roast," from brosler "to burn," from L. ustulare "to scorch, singe," from ustus, pp. of urere "to burn." Alt. by infl. of Gmc. "burn" words beginning in br-.

broil  (2)
"quarrel," 1402, from Anglo-Fr. broiller "mix up, confuse," O.Fr. brooillier, probably from breu, bro "broth, brew," from Frankish or another Gmc. source (cf. O.H.G. brod "broth") akin to broth (see brew); also compare imbroglio.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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