Search results for 'boil':

boil¹ verb (boiled, boiling) 1 intrans said of a liquid: to change rapidly to a vapour on reaching a temperature known as the boiling point, often with the formation of copious bubbles of vapour within the liquid. 2 intrans said of a container, eg a kettle: to have contents that are boiling. 3 a to make (a liquid) reach its boiling point rapidly; b to boil the contents of (a container). 4 tr & intr said of food: to cook or be cooked by heating in boiling liquid. 5 (sometimes boil something up) to bring (a liquid or its container) to a heat at which the liquid boils. 6 tr & intr said of food: to cook something or be cooked by boiling. 7 (usually be boiling) colloq a to be very hot • It's boiling in the car; b to be extremely angry. 8 to treat something with boiling water, especially to clean it. 9 intrans said of the sea, etc: to move and bubble violently as if boiling. noun (usually a boil or the boil) the act or point of boiling • Give it a boil for five minutes • Reduce the heat as soon as the liquid reaches the boil. come to the boil 1 to reach boiling point. 2 colloq said of a plan, affair or business deal, etc: to reach a critical point or state. go off the boil 1 to stop boiling; to fall below boiling point. 2 colloq to cease to be active, interested or involved, etc.
ETYMOLOGY: 13c: from French boillir, from Latin bullire to bubble.

boil² noun a reddened and often painful swelling in the skin, containing pus, and usually caused by bacterial infection of a hair follicle.
ETYMOLOGY: Anglo-Saxon byl.