boil
boil
Pronunciation
/bɔɪl/
boil
/bɔɪ/ - 'boi' sound as in 'boy'
/l/ - 'l' sound as in 'light'
Word Form Variations
Verb:
boil (base form, present tense - I boil)
boils (present tense - he/she/it boils)
boiled (past tense, past participle)
boiling (present participle, gerund)
Noun:
boil (singular)
boils (plural)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb
To reach the temperature at which a liquid changes to a gas, producing bubbles and steam.
Synonyms: simmer, seethe, effervesce, bubble
Antonyms: cool, freeze, chill
Example: The water began to boil rapidly on the stove.
To cook food by immersing it in boiling liquid.
Synonyms: stew, poach, parboil, blanch
Antonyms: fry, roast, bake, grill
Example: She decided to boil the potatoes for dinner.
To be in a state of intense anger, excitement, or agitation.
Synonyms: fume, rage, seethe, erupt
Antonyms: calm, soothe, relax, pacify
Example: He was boiling with frustration after the meeting.
Noun
The act or state of boiling.
Synonyms: ebullition, effervescence, bubbling
Antonyms: cooling, freezing
Example: The chef brought the sauce to a quick boil.
A painful, pus-filled inflamed swelling on the skin, typically caused by bacterial infection of a hair follicle.
Synonyms: carbuncle, abscess, pustule, furuncle
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms, as it describes a specific medical condition. One could consider "healthy skin" as a conceptual opposite.)
Example: The doctor treated the painful boil on his arm.
Examples of Use
Books:
"The first thing to learn is that water for tea must always be at a full boil." (From The Tea Enthusiast's Handbook by Mary Lou Heiss and Robert J. Heiss, October 2010)
"He could feel the anger boil within him, a hot, uncontrollable surge." (From The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides, February 2019)
Newspapers:
"Residents were advised to boil all drinking water for at least one minute due to a pipe burst." (Daily Nation)
"Tensions continue to boil over in the region following the recent border dispute." (The Guardian)
Online Publications:
"How to Boil the Perfect Egg: A Step-by-Step Guide." (Serious Eats)
"Scientists are concerned about the rising ocean temperatures, warning that such conditions could literally boil marine life." (National Geographic Online)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: In the movie Dunkirk (July 2017), a character might exclaim, "We need to get this engine to boil!" in reference to a malfunctioning vehicle.
Television Series: On an episode of The Great British Baking Show, a contestant might be heard saying, "I need to bring this sugar syrup to a rolling boil." (e.g., Series 12, October 2021)
Music Lyrics: From the song "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen (October 1975), the line "Mama, life had just begun, but now I've gone and thrown it all away..." - while not directly using "boil," the song's emotional intensity can make listeners feel their blood "boil" with the drama. (This is a more conceptual example for "entertainment.")
Video Games: In a cooking simulation game like Overcooked!, a common objective might be "Bring the pasta to a boil before time runs out."
General Public Discourse:
"Don't let this incident make your blood boil; try to stay calm." (Heard in a casual conversation)
"The water won't boil if you keep lifting the lid!" (Common instruction in a kitchen)
"I've got a painful boil on my neck that's really bothering me." (Personal anecdote)
10 Quotes Using Boil
"A watched pot never boils." (Benjamin Franklin)
"I have a simple philosophy: Fill what's empty. Empty what's full. Scratch where it itches. And boil all water." (Amelia Earhart)
"Truth, like gold, is not to be obtained by its growth, but by washing away from it all that is not gold." (Henry David Thoreau – often paraphrased with "You can't boil the ocean")
"If you want to know what it is to boil water, you must be a saucepan." (Unknown, often attributed as a Zen proverb)
"When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bonds: Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great, and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamed yourself to be. And the reason for this is that the human mind needs something to boil against." (Patanjali, a paraphrase of a section from the Yoga Sutras)
"Life is like a cup of tea, it's all in how you make it, and what you add to it to make it boil." (Unknown)
"You don't have to boil the ocean to get a cup of tea." (Popular business adage)
"When one reaches the end of the line, one can always boil a stone." (African Proverb)
"The first thing to learn about life is that if you don't keep the pot stirred, nothing will ever boil." (African Proverb)
"My blood began to boil and I said, 'No man can do this.'" (Nelson Mandela, from Long Walk to Freedom)
Etymology
Let's break down where the word "boil" comes from in simple terms.
The word "boil" has its roots in Old French and Latin.
It came into English from the Old French word "bouillir" around the 13th century. "Bouillir" meant "to bubble, to boil."
This Old French word, in turn, came from the Latin word "bullīre," which also meant "to bubble" or "to boil." You can see the connection in words like "ebullient" (meaning cheerful and full of energy, like something bubbling over) or "bulletin" (which historically referred to a papal bull or seal, related to a bubbling seal impression, though this connection is more tenuous for "boil" itself).
So, the very first known use and meaning of the word "boil" (or its ancestors) has always been associated with the action of liquid bubbling due to heat, or the process of cooking with hot liquid. Over time, the meaning expanded to include the idea of intense emotion, like "blood boiling," because that feeling can be likened to the intense, turbulent action of boiling water.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Boil
A watched pot never boils: Meaning that time seems to pass more slowly when you're waiting anxiously for something to happen.
Boil down to: To be reduced to the essential or most important part.
Boil over: To overflow while boiling; metaphorically, for emotions or a situation to get out of control.
Boil one's blood: To make someone extremely angry.
Boil with rage: To be extremely angry.
Bring to a boil: To heat a liquid until it starts to bubble vigorously.
Keep the pot boiling: To keep something active or lively; to maintain momentum.
Make one's blood boil: To cause someone to become very angry.
Not a dry eye in the house, enough to make you boil: (Original, using "boil" to describe intense emotional reaction to a sad or frustrating situation)
Simmer down: (Using a synonym, "simmer," for similar effect) To calm down after being angry or agitated.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of boil from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
