boil
♦ boil /b'ɔɪl/ (boils boiling boiled)
1 [VERB] V, V n, V-ing
When a hot liquid boils or when you boil it, bubbles appear in it and it starts to change into steam or vapour.
I stood in the kitchen, waiting for the water to boil...
Boil the water in the saucepan and add the sage...
...a saucepan of boiling water.
2 [VERB] V n, V
When you boil a kettle or pan, or put it on to boil, you heat the water inside it until it boils.
He had nothing to do but boil the kettle and make the tea...
Marianne put the kettle on to boil.
3 [VERB] only cont, V
When a kettle or pan is boiling, the water inside it has reached boiling point.
Is the kettle boiling?
4 [VERB] V n, V, V-ed
When you boil food, or when it boils, it is cooked in boiling water.
Boil the chick peas, add garlic and lemon juice...
I'd peel potatoes and put them on to boil.
...boiled eggs and toast.
5 [VERB] usu cont, V with n
If you are boiling with anger, you are very angry.
I used to be all sweetness and light on the outside, but inside I would be boiling with rage.
6 [N-COUNT]
A boil is a red, painful swelling on your skin, which contains a thick yellow liquid called pus.
= cyst
7
see also boiling
8 [PHRASE] V inflects
When you bring a liquid to the boil, you heat it until it boils. When it comes to the boil, it begins to boil.
Put water, butter and lard into a saucepan and bring slowly to the boil.
9
to make someone's blood boil: see bloodboil down
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron)
When you boil down a liquid or food, or when it boils down, it is boiled until there is less of it because some of the water in it has changed into steam or vapour.
He boils down red wine and uses what's left...
= reduceboil down to
[PHRASAL VERB] V P P n
If you say that a situation or problem boils down to a particular thing or can be boiled down to a particular thing, you mean that this is the most important or the most basic aspect of it.
What they want boils down to just one thing. It is land...
= amount toboil over
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
When a liquid that is being heated boils over, it rises and flows over the edge of the container.
Heat the liquid in a large, wide container rather than a high narrow one, or it can boil over.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
When someone's feelings boil over, they lose their temper or become violent.
Sometimes frustration and anger can boil over into direct and violent action.
= erupt
1 [VERB] V, V n, V-ing
When a hot liquid boils or when you boil it, bubbles appear in it and it starts to change into steam or vapour.
I stood in the kitchen, waiting for the water to boil...
Boil the water in the saucepan and add the sage...
...a saucepan of boiling water.
2 [VERB] V n, V
When you boil a kettle or pan, or put it on to boil, you heat the water inside it until it boils.
He had nothing to do but boil the kettle and make the tea...
Marianne put the kettle on to boil.
3 [VERB] only cont, V
When a kettle or pan is boiling, the water inside it has reached boiling point.
Is the kettle boiling?
4 [VERB] V n, V, V-ed
When you boil food, or when it boils, it is cooked in boiling water.
Boil the chick peas, add garlic and lemon juice...
I'd peel potatoes and put them on to boil.
...boiled eggs and toast.
5 [VERB] usu cont, V with n
If you are boiling with anger, you are very angry.
I used to be all sweetness and light on the outside, but inside I would be boiling with rage.
6 [N-COUNT]
A boil is a red, painful swelling on your skin, which contains a thick yellow liquid called pus.
= cyst
7
see also boiling
8 [PHRASE] V inflects
When you bring a liquid to the boil, you heat it until it boils. When it comes to the boil, it begins to boil.
Put water, butter and lard into a saucepan and bring slowly to the boil.
9
to make someone's blood boil: see bloodboil down
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron)
When you boil down a liquid or food, or when it boils down, it is boiled until there is less of it because some of the water in it has changed into steam or vapour.
He boils down red wine and uses what's left...
= reduceboil down to
[PHRASAL VERB] V P P n
If you say that a situation or problem boils down to a particular thing or can be boiled down to a particular thing, you mean that this is the most important or the most basic aspect of it.
What they want boils down to just one thing. It is land...
= amount toboil over
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
When a liquid that is being heated boils over, it rises and flows over the edge of the container.
Heat the liquid in a large, wide container rather than a high narrow one, or it can boil over.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
When someone's feelings boil over, they lose their temper or become violent.
Sometimes frustration and anger can boil over into direct and violent action.
= erupt