boil

boil¹ S3 [bɔıl] v

[Date: 1200-1300; : Old French; Origin: boillir, from Latin bullire, from bulla 'bubble']

1.) [I and T]

when a liquid boils, or when you boil it, it becomes hot enough to turn into gas

boil at

▪ The solution boiled at 57.4°C.

▪ Put the spaghetti into plenty of boiling salted water.

▪ We were advised to boil the water before drinking it.

2.) [I and T]

to cook something in boiling water

▪ a boiled egg

▪ Boil the rice for 15 minutes.

▪ She fried the chicken and put the vegetables on to boil .

3.) [I and T]

if something containing liquid boils, the liquid inside it is boiling

▪ The kettle's boiling - shall I turn it off?

▪ The saucepan boiled dry on the stove.

4.) [T]

to wash something, using boiling water

▪ I always boil the cotton sheets.

5.)

if you are boiling with anger, you are extremely angry

boil with

▪ Lewis was boiling with rage and misery.

→↑boiling point, make sb's blood boil [i]at ↑blood¹ (4)

boil away phr v

if a liquid boils away, it disappears because it has been heated too much

▪ The soup's almost boiled away.

boil down phr v

1.) boil down to sth informal

if a long statement, argument etc boils down to a single statement, that statement is the main point or cause

▪ Think of the money you can make - that's what it all boils down to.

▪ It boils down to a question of priorities.

2.) boil sth<=>down

to make a list or piece of writing shorter by not including anything that is not necessary

▪ You can boil this down so that there are just two main categories.

3.) if a food or liquid boils down, or if you boil it down, it becomes less after it is cooked

▪ Spinach tends to boil down a lot.

boil sth<=>down

▪ glue made from boiling down old sheepskins

boil over phr v

1.) if a liquid boils over when it is heated, it rises and flows over the side of the container

▪ The milk was boiling over on the stove behind her.

2.) if a situation or an emotion boils over, the people involved stop being calm

▪ All the bitterness of the last two years seemed to boil over.

boil over into

▪ Anger eventually boils over into words and actions that are later regretted.

boil up phr v

1.) if a situation or emotion boils up, bad feelings grow until they reach a dangerous level

▪ She could sense that trouble was boiling up at work.

▪ He could feel the anger boiling up inside him.

2.) boil sth<=>up

to heat food or a liquid until it begins to boil

▪ Boil the fruit up with sugar.

boil ²

boil² n

[Sense: 1,3; Date: 1400-1500; Origin: BOIL¹]

[Sense: 2; Origin: Old English byl]

1.) the boil

BrE a boil AmE

the act or state of boiling

▪ Add the seasoning and bring the sauce to the boil .

▪ She waited for the water to come to the boil (=begin to boil) .

2.)

a painful infected swelling under someone's skin

▪ The boy's body is covered in boils.

3.) go off the boil

BrE to become less good at something that you are usually very good at

▪ He's gone off the boil after a tournament win in Dubai.