boil Hear it!

boil1 definition

boil (bo̵il)

intransitive verb

  1. to bubble up and vaporize over direct heat
  2. to reach the vaporizing stage
  3. to seethe or churn like a boiling liquid
  4. to be agitated, as with rage
  5. to cook in boiling water or other liquid

Etymology: ME boilen < OFr boillir < L bullire < bulla, a bubble, knob; prob. < IE *bu-, var. of echoic base *beu-, *bheu-, to blow up, cause to swell

transitive verb

  1. to heat to the boiling point
  2. to cook, process, or separate in boiling water or other liquid

noun

the act or state of boiling
boil Idioms

boil away

to evaporate as a result of boiling

boil down

  1. to lessen in quantity by boiling, esp. so as to change consistency
  2. to make more terse; condense; summarize

boil down to

to mean, when summarized; amount to what it all boils down to is more unemployment

boil over

  1. to come to a boil and spill over the rim
  2. to lose one's temper; get excited
boil2 definition

boil (bo̵il)

noun

an inflamed, painful, pus-filled swelling on the skin, caused by localized infection; furuncle

Etymology: orig., & still dial., bile < ME byle < OE byle, byl (akin to Ger beule) < IE base of boil

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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