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parboil

 - 3 dictionary results

par⋅boil

  [pahr-boil]
Use parboil in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
to boil partially or for a short time; precook.
Origin:
1400–50; late ME parboylen to boil partly, (rarely) to boil fully < MF parboillir < LL perbullīre to boil through and through (see per-, boil ); change of meaning by confusion of par- with part
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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par·boil   (pär'boil')   
tr.v.   par·boiled, par·boil·ing, par·boils

  1. To cook partially by boiling for a brief period: parboiled and then sautéed the new potatoes.

  2. To subject to intense, often uncomfortable heat.


[Middle English parboilen, to boil partly, to boil thoroughly (influenced by part, part), from Old French parboillir, to boil thoroughly, from Late Latin perbullīre : Latin per-, thoroughly; see per- + Latin bullīre, to boil.]
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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Word Origin & History

parboil 
1381, from O.Fr. parboillir, from M.L. perbullire "to boil thoroughly," from L. per "through, thoroughly" + bullire "to boil" (see boil (v.)). Main modern meaning "boil partially" (c.1440) is by mistaken association of the prefix with part.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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