See Also: boil(encyclopedia)
Boil(medicine)
boil(dictionary)
boil(2)(dictionary)
boil(1)(dictionary)
Gum boil(health)
Boil(health)
boil 2, noun(dictionary)
boil 1, verb(dictionary)
tropical boil(medicine)

boil (iou)



boil verb. ME.
[Old French boillir (earlier bolir, mod. bouillir) from Latin bullire bubble, boil, from bulla a bubble.]
I. verb intrans.
Of liquid: be at or reach the temperature at which it becomes a vapour; bubble up, undulate. Also predicated of the containing vessel or of any substance in the heated liquid (for cooking etc.). ME.
P. Fletcher Boyling in sulphur, and hot-bubbling pitch. Edmund Smith [Pierce] the oranges as they are boiling. B. Jowett Putting in anything that we like while the pot is boiling. J. Cheever He puts some water on to boil.
Move with agitation like boiling water; seethe. ME.
Pope The storm thickens, and the billows boil. G. Santayana A torrent romantically boiled among the wildest of rocks and bushes.
fig. Of passions, persons, etc.: be stirred up or inflamed. LME.
D. Hume Resentment was boiling in his sullen, unsociable mind. C. S. Forester Curzon boiled with contempt for Phelps at that moment.
II. verb trans.
Subject to the heat of boiling liquid; esp. cook in boiling water. ME.
Bible (AV): Ezekiel 46:20 The place where the Priests shall boyle the trespasse offring.
b. Hist. Execute (a person) by boiling. M16.
Bring (liquid, the vessel containing it, a substance in it) to or keep at the boiling point; cause to bubble with heat; manufacture (soap etc.) by boiling. LME.
H. Glasse When you boil a leg of pork..save the liquor. A. Simon Add cream, but do not boil mixture again. B. Pym She never really used the kitchen except to boil a kettle or make a piece of toast.
b. fig. Agitate or inflame (a person, feelings, etc.); make fervent. LME-E18.
Phrases: boil a wallop: see WALLOP noun 2. boil the kettle, (Austral. & NZ) boil the billy colloq. make tea. boil the pot, keep the pot boiling: see POT noun1. one's blood boils one is in a state of extreme anger or indignation.
With adverbs in specialized senses: boil away verb phr. intrans. & trans. (cause to) evaporate in boiling. boil down (a) verb phr. trans. reduce by boiling; fig. condense, epitomize; (b) verb phr. intrans. with to (fig.) amount to, signify basically. boil off verb phr. trans. cause to evaporate in boiling. boil over verb phr. intrans. overflow by boiling; fig. (of passions etc.) get out of control, (of a person) lose one's temper. boil up verb phr. intrans. (a) reach boiling point; (b) colloq. boil water, make tea.