boil
To cook food in very hot water that is bubbling strongly.
To cook food by placing it in water or another liquid that is at a boiling temperature.
To make water or another liquid so hot that it starts to bubble strongly.
To heat a liquid until it reaches its boiling point and starts to bubble vigorously.
When water or another liquid gets so hot that it bubbles all the time and gives off steam.
Of a liquid, to reach a temperature at which it bubbles continuously and starts to turn into gas.
To be very, very angry or upset, often inside.
To feel or show very strong anger or emotional agitation, often without expressing it openly.
A painful, round, red place on the skin with infection and yellow liquid inside.
A painful, swollen, red lump on the skin caused by an infection in a hair follicle or oil gland, usually filled with pus.
The time or level when water or another liquid is boiling.
The state or stage at which a liquid is boiling.
- Base: boil
- Plural: boils
- Base: boil
- 3rd Person Singular: boils
- Present Participle: boiling
- Past: boiled
boil down
1Reduce liquid by boiling
To make a liquid less and thicker by heating it so that some of the water goes away as steam.
- Boil the sauce down until it is thick.
- They boiled the soup down to make a rich stock.
- Let the mixture boil down for ten minutes before you taste it.
boil down to
1Have something as the main point
To have something as the most important part, reason, or result.
- In the end, the argument boils down to money.
- Her decision boiled down to one simple question: could she trust him?
- Most of their complaints boiled down to poor communication.
boil over
1Situation suddenly becomes violent
To suddenly become very strong or out of control, especially about anger or trouble.
- Tensions finally boiled over into street protests.
- Watch the soup or it will boil over.
- The conflict had been growing for years before it boiled over.
- The milk boiled over and made a mess on the stove.
- His frustration boiled over and he started shouting at his boss.
- Don't fill the pot too full or the pasta water will boil over.
boil with anger
1Feel extreme anger inside
To feel very strong anger.
- She was boiling with anger after the meeting.
- He boiled with anger when he heard the news.
- They were boiling with anger about the decision.
bring to a boil
1Heat until liquid is boiling
To heat water or another liquid until it starts to boil.
- Bring the water to a boil, then add the rice.
- Slowly bring the soup to a boil over medium heat.
- First, bring the milk to a boil and then turn off the heat.
come to the boil
1Liquid reaches boiling point
When water or another liquid reaches the point where it is boiling.
- When the water comes to the boil, add the vegetables.
- Wait for the sauce to come to the boil before you stir it.
- As soon as it comes to the boil, turn the heat down.
keep the pot boiling
1Keep activity or interest going
To keep something active, interesting, or continuing.
- They released small updates to keep the pot boiling between major versions.
- The manager told a few jokes to keep the pot boiling during the long meeting.
- The team used social media to keep the pot boiling before the product launch.
on the boil
1In active or intense development
To be active and developing, or very busy and energetic.
- The project is really on the boil now.
- The city’s music scene has been on the boil for years.
- With elections coming, politics here are on the boil.
make someone's blood boil
1make someone very angry
To make someone feel very angry.
- His unfair comments made my blood boil.
- It makes her blood boil when people are rude.
make someone's blood boil
2Make someone extremely angry
To make someone very, very angry.
- His rude comments made my blood boil.
- It makes her blood boil when people are treated unfairly.
- The way they lied to us really made his blood boil.