Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense boils, present participle boiling, past tense, past participle boiled
1. verb
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. [VERB]
Boil the water in the saucepan and add the sage. [VERB noun]
...a saucepan of boiling water. [VERB-ing]
Synonyms: simmer, bubble, foam, churn More Synonyms of boil
2. verb
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. [VERB noun]
Marianne put the kettle on to boil. [VERB]
3. verb [only cont]
When a kettle or pan is boiling, the water inside it has reached boiling point.
Is the kettle boiling? [VERB]
4. verb
When you boil food, or when it boils, it is cooked in boiling water.
Boil the chick peas, add garlic and lemon juice. [VERB noun]
I'd peel potatoes and put them on to boil. [VERB]
...boiled eggs and toast. [VERB-ed]
cook
5. verb [usually cont]
If you are boilingwith anger, you are very angry.
I used to be all sweetness and light on the outside, but inside I would be boilingwith rage. [VERB + with]
6. countable noun
A boil is a red, painful swelling on your skin, which contains a thick yellow liquid called pus.
Synonyms: pustule, gathering [informal], swelling, blister More Synonyms of boil
7. See also boiling
8.
See bring to the boil/come to the boil
9. to make someone's blood boil
Phrasal verbs:
See boil away
See boil down
See boil down to
See boil over
See boil up
More Synonyms of boil
boil in British English1
(bɔɪl)
verb
1.
to change or cause to change from a liquid to a vapour so rapidly that bubbles of vapour are formed copiously in the liquid
Compare evaporate
2.
to reach or cause to reach boiling point
3.
to cook or be cooked by the process of boiling
4. (intransitive)
to bubble and be agitated like something boiling; seethe
the ocean was boiling
5. (intransitive)
to be extremely angry or indignant (esp in the phrase make one's blood boil)
she was boiling at his dishonesty
6. (intransitive)
to contain a boiling liquid
the pot is boiling
noun
7.
the state or action of boiling (esp in the phrases on the boil, off the boil)
Derived forms
boilable (ˈboilable)
adjective
Word origin
C13: from Old French boillir, from Latin bullīre to bubble, from bulla a bubble
boil in British English2
(bɔɪl)
noun
a red painful swelling with a hard pus-filled core caused by bacterial infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissues, esp at a hair follicle
Technical name: furuncle
Word origin
Old English bӯle; related to Old Norse beyla swelling, Old High German būlla bladder, Gothic ufbauljan to inflate
boil in American English1
(bɔɪl)
verb intransitive
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
verb transitive
6.
to heat to the boiling point
7.
to cook, process, or separate in boiling water or other liquid
noun
8.
the act or state of boiling
Idioms:
boil away
boil down
boil down to
boil over
SYNONYMY NOTE: boil1, the basic word, refers to the vaporization of a liquid over direct heat or, metaphorically,to great agitation, as with rage [it made my blood boil]; seethe suggests violent boiling with much bubbling and foaming or, in an extended sense,excitement [the country seethed with rebellion]; simmer implies a gentle, continuous cooking at or just below the boiling point or, metaphorically,imminence of eruption, as in anger or revolt; , stew1 refers to slow, prolonged boiling or, in an extended colloquial sense, unrest causedby worry or anxiety
boil in American English2
(bɔɪl)
noun
an inflamed, painful, pus-filled swelling on the skin, caused by localized infection; furuncle
Word origin
orig., & still dial., bile < ME byle < OE byle, byl (akin to Ger beule) < IE base of boil1
boil in Hospitality1
(bɔɪl)
Word forms: (present) boils, (past) boiled, (perfect) boiled, (progressive) boiling
verb (transitive) (intransitive)
(Hospitality (hotel): Food and drink, cooking)
When a hot liquid boils or when you boil it, bubbles appear in it and it starts to change into steam or vapor.
COLLOCATIONS: ~ water
Boil the water in the saucepan and add the butter.
I waited for the water to boil before I put the potatoes into the pot.
Clean out the pot that you boiled the milk in.
boil in Hospitality2
(bɔɪl)
Word forms: (present) boils, (past) boiled, (perfect) boiled, (progressive) boiling
verb (transitive) (intransitive)
(Hospitality (hotel): Food and drink, cooking)
When you boil food, or when it boils, it is cooked in boiling water.
She boiled the beans to soften their skins.
I peeled potatoes and put them in water to boil.
There is plenty of beef and pork, usually boiled in water with various vegetables.
More idioms containing
boil
go off the boil
come to the boil
be on the boil
make your blood boil
Examples of 'boil' in a sentence
boil
It was not just the weather that reached boiling point that summer.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Just boil and add the meat juice to serve.
The Sun (2016)
Bring to the boil over high heat.
The Sun (2016)
Bring to boil for ten minutes to reduce sauce.
The Sun (2016)
Heat the olive oil in a medium pan over a medium heat and put a full kettle on to boil.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Meanwhile, halve and boil the beans al dente.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
No one wants to waste time waiting for a week's worth of rice to boil.
The Sun (2016)
His game remains on ice, the guessing games are back to boiling point.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Boil the kettle and measure off 1 litre.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Some make one's blood boil.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Quickly reduce the liquid by half by boiling hard without a lid.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The mixture resulted in an impressively boiling liquid indistinguishable from the real thing.
Campbell, Eileen & Brennan, J. H. Dictionary of Mind, Body and Spirit (1994)
Slowly heat to just below boiling point.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Watch this boiling action inside the center!
Thompkins, Peter, Bird, Christopher Secrets of the Soil (1990)
What do you see when a kettle boils?
The Sun (2012)
The pressure to recycle has reached boiling point.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The dressing room is tiny and boiling hot.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Stir sauce leftovers through pasta with boiled green beans.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
When it comes to the boil add the spuds and put on the lid.
The Sun (2013)
Which brings me to the second story that made my blood boil.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Remember to use a large saucepan to boil split peas as they bubble up when cooking.
Elliot, Rose Cooking with Beans and Pulses
Most of us let anger fester and boil until it becomes rage and hostility.
Christianity Today (2000)
Swap white boiled rice for wholegrain to increase your fibre intake.
The Sun (2014)
The classes were held outside in the boiling heat with no shade.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Bring the soup to the boil for a minute.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
It all boils down to hard work.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Strain the liquid and boil until reduced by half.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
He is noted for his exuberant style and previously caused uproar by boiling lobsters live on the show.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
There are just a few shows left so the heat has been ramped up from simmering point to almost boiling over.
The Sun (2013)
In other languages
boil
British English: boil /bɔɪl/ VERB
food When you boil food, you cook it in water that is boiling.
American English: boil
Arabic: يَسْلُقُ
Brazilian Portuguese: ferver
Chinese: 煮沸
Croatian: kuhati
Czech: vařit
Danish: koge
Dutch: koken aan de kook brengen/houden
European Spanish: cocer
Finnish: keittää
French: faire bouillir
German: kochen
Greek: βράζω
Italian: lessare
Japanese: 沸かす
Korean: ...을 끓이다
Norwegian: koke
Polish: zagotować się
European Portuguese: ferver
Romanian: a fierbe
Russian: варить
Latin American Spanish: cocer
Swedish: koka
Thai: ต้ม
Turkish: kaynamak
Ukrainian: варити
Vietnamese: đun sôi
British English: boil /bɔɪl/ VERB
water When water boils, it becomes very hot, and you can see bubbles in it and steam coming from it.
American English: boil
Arabic: يَغْلي
Brazilian Portuguese: ferver
Chinese: 沸腾
Croatian: kipjeti
Czech: vařit se
Danish: koge
Dutch: koken het kookpunt bereiken
European Spanish: hervir
Finnish: kiehua
French: bouillir
German: kochen
Greek: βράζω
Italian: bollire
Japanese: 沸騰する
Korean: 끓다
Norwegian: koke
Polish: ugotować się
European Portuguese: ferver
Romanian: a fierbe
Russian: кипеть
Latin American Spanish: hervir
Swedish: koka
Thai: ทำให้เดือด
Turkish: kaynatmak
Ukrainian: кип'ятити
Vietnamese: sôi
British English: boil NOUN
A boil is a red, painful swelling on your skin, which contains a thick yellow liquid called pus.
American English: boil
Brazilian Portuguese: furúnculo
Chinese: 疖子
European Spanish: furúnculo
French: furoncle
German: Furunkel
Italian: foruncolo
Japanese: おでき
Korean: 종기
European Portuguese: furúnculo
Latin American Spanish: forúnculo
All related terms of 'boil'
boil up
If you boil up a liquid, you heat it until it boils.
re-boil
to boil again
boil away
When you boil away a liquid, or when it boils away , it is boiled until all of it changes into steam or vapour .
boil down
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 .
boil off
to remove or be removed (from) by boiling
boil over
When a liquid that is being heated boils over , it rises and flows over the edge of the container .
boil down to
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.
boil vegetables
Vegetables are plants such as cabbages , potatoes , and onions which you can cook and eat.
be on the boil
if a situation or feeling is on the boil , it is at its point of greatest activity or strength
boil-in-a-bag
(of food) able to be boiled in a sealed bag until ready to eat
boil-in-the-bag
(of food) able to be boiled in a sealed bag until ready to eat
come to the boil
if anger comes to the boil , it increases until it reaches a very high level
go off the boil
to be less successful than in the past
make one's blood boil
to cause to be angry or indignant
make your blood boil
to make you very angry
bring to a boil/come to a boil
When you bring a liquid to a boil , you heat it until it boils. When it comes to a boil , it begins to boil.
to make someone's blood boil
If you say that something makes your blood boil , you are emphasizing that it makes you very angry .
bring to the boil/come to the boil
When you bring a liquid to the boil , you heat it until it boils. When it comes to the boil , it begins to boil.
Chinese translation of 'boil'
boil
(bɔɪl)
vt
[water]烧(燒)开(開) (shāokāi)
[eggs, potatoes]煮 (zhǔ)
vi
[liquid]沸腾(騰) (fèiténg)
n
(Med) 疖(癤)子 (jiēzi)
to boil a kettle烧(燒)开(開)水 (shāokāi shuǐ)
to be boiling with anger or rage气(氣)愤(憤)至极(極) (qìfèn zhìjí)
to come to the or (US) a boil开(開)始沸腾(騰) (kāishǐ fèiténg)
to bring a liquid to the boil把液体(體)烧(燒)至沸腾(騰) (bǎ yètǐ shāo zhì fèiténg)
All related terms of 'boil'
boil over
( kettle, milk ) 沸腾(騰)至溢出 fèiténg zhì yìchū
boil down to
归(歸)根结(結)底 guīgēn jiédǐ
to boil a kettle
烧(燒)开(開)水 shāokāi shuǐ
to come to the or ( US ) a boil
开(開)始沸腾(騰) kāishǐ fèiténg
to bring a liquid to the boil
把液体(體)烧(燒)至沸腾(騰) bǎ yètǐ shāo zhì fèiténg
1 (verb)
Definition
to bubble and be agitated like something boiling
I stood in the kitchen, waiting for the water to boil.
Synonyms
simmer
Turn the heat down so the sauce simmers gently.
bubble
The fermenting tea bubbled over the top.
foam
We watched the water foam and bubble.
churn
Churning seas smash against the steep cliffs.
seethe
a seething cauldron of broth
fizz
She was holding a tray of glasses that fizzed.
froth
The sea froths over my feet.
effervesce
These tablets effervesce when water is added.
2 (verb)
Definition
to cook or be cooked by the process of boiling
Peel the potatoes and boil them.
Synonyms
bring to the boil
cook
simmer
He simmered with rage.
3 (verb)
Definition
to be extremely angry
She was boiling with anger.
Synonyms
be furious
storm
‘It's a fiasco,’ he stormed.
rage
He raged at me for being late.
rave
She cried and raved for weeks.
fume
I fumed when the board turned down my proposal.
be angry
crack up (informal)
He's going to crack up if he doesn't take a break soon.
see red (informal)
I didn't mean to break his nose. I just saw red.
go ballistic (slang)
be indignant
fulminate
They all fulminated against the new curriculum.
foam at the mouth (informal)
blow a fuse (slang)
fly off the handle (informal)
My old manager flew off the handle at the slightest thing.
go off the deep end (informal)
wig out (slang)
go up the wall (slang)
idiom
See boil down to something
Phrasal verbs
See boil something down
See boil something up
(noun)
Definition
a red painful swelling with a hard pus-filled core caused by infection of the skin
a boil on his nose
Synonyms
pustule
She had a large number of little pimples and pustules on her face.
gathering (informal)
swelling
There is some swelling and he is being detained for observation.
blister
The first sign of a blister is itching in the infected area.
blain
carbuncle
furuncle (pathology)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of blister
Definition
a small bubble on the skin filled with a watery fluid
The first sign of a blister is itching in the infected area.