English idiom

boil down to

Register · Informal CEFR B2

Post

Figurative meaning

to be summarized as or reduced to the most essential point

Why this phrase?

From boiling a liquid until only the essence remains; figuratively means to reduce to the main point.

Example

“The whole argument boils down to money.”

Dictionary details

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

take home message

the main point or lesson you should remember from something

the big picture

the overall situation and its most important facts, rather than its details

at the end of the day

ultimately; when everything is considered

golden rule

the most important rule or principle to follow

on the other hand

used to introduce a contrasting point of view or alternative

overall picture

the complete view of a situation, including all the main parts

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

External links

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