boil

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the temperature at which a liquid boils at sea level

   they brought the water to a boil

2. 2
   verb

   to immerse or be immersed in a boiling liquid, often for cooking purposes

   I boil potatoes every Monday.

3. 3
   verb

   to bring to, or maintain at, the boiling point

   To make a reduction, you should boil the liquid until it evaporates.

4. 4
   verb

   to come to the boiling point and change from a liquid to vapor

   Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.

5. 5
   verb

   to be in an agitated emotional state

   The principal boiled about the latest prank.

6. 6
   verb

   to be agitated

   I boiled with rage.

7. 7
   noun

   The point at which fluid begins to change to a vapour; the boiling point.

   Add the noodles when the water comes to the boil.

8. 8
   noun

   An instance of boiling.

   Surface water will do, but give it a good boil before drinking it.

Etymology

From Middle English bile, büle (“boil, tumor”), from Old English bȳl, bȳle (“boil, swelling”), from Proto-Germanic *būlijō, *būlō (“boil”). Akin to Dutch buil (“boil, swelling”), German Beule (“boil, hump”), Icelandic beyla (“swelling, hump”). The expected form is bile; the rounding of the diphthong could be caused by the initial b- and/or by association with etymology 2.