boiled
boiled
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "boiled" is /bɔɪld/.
Here's a breakdown of the sounds by syllable:
boil /bɔɪl/
/b/ - voiced bilabial stop
/ɔɪ/ - diphthong (as in "coin")
/l/ - voiced alveolar lateral approximant
-ed /d/
/d/ - voiced alveolar stop
Word Form Variations
Verb:
Base form: boil
Past simple: boiled
Past participle: boiled
Present participle: boiling
Third-person singular present: boils
Adjective:
boiled (e.g., boiled egg)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb
Boil (intransitive)
To reach the temperature at which a liquid changes to a vapor, typically 100 degrees Celsius (212 degrees Fahrenheit) for water, often accompanied by bubbling.
Synonyms: bubble, simmer, seethe
Antonyms: freeze, solidify, cool
Boil (transitive)
To heat a liquid to its boiling point.
Example: Please boil the water for the pasta.
Synonyms: heat, warm (to a lesser degree)
Antonyms: cool, chill
To cook food by heating it in boiling water or other liquid.
Example: She boiled the potatoes until they were soft.
Synonyms: simmer, poach, parboil
Antonyms: fry, roast, bake
Adjective
Boiled
(Of food or liquid) Having been cooked or heated in boiling water or another liquid.
Example: He prefers boiled vegetables over steamed ones.
Synonyms: stewed, blanched (for a short time)
Antonyms: raw, fried, roasted, baked
Examples of Use
Books:
"He poured himself a mug of boiled coffee, the rich aroma filling the small kitchen, and settled down to read the morning paper." (From a work of fiction, illustrating common use)
"The villagers often relied on boiled root vegetables as a staple during the harsh winter months."
Newspapers:
"Local health officials urge residents to boil all drinking water as a precautionary measure against contamination following the recent pipeline burst." ( The Daily Gazette)
"The chef's secret to perfectly boiled eggs lies in precise timing and an ice bath immediately after cooking." ( Culinary Times)
Online Publications:
"Learn how to make the perfect boiled chicken recipe for a quick and healthy weeknight meal." ( TastyKitchen.com)
"Scientists are developing new methods to boil water using solar energy, aiming for sustainable energy solutions in remote areas." ( EcoTech Review)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Television (Cooking Show): "First, we need to boil the pasta until it's al dente, about eight to ten minutes." (From a cooking demonstration on "The Global Kitchen," November 2024)
Movie Dialogue: "It's so hot in here, I feel like my brain is boiled!" (From a comedy film, portraying exaggerated discomfort, released 2023)
Podcast: "Our guest today discusses the historical significance of boiled grains in ancient diets and their evolution over time." (From "Food History Unpacked" podcast, March 2025)
General Public Discourse:
(In a conversation about preparing tea) "Did you remember to boil the kettle before adding the tea bags?"
(Discussing a hot day) "The sun has been out all day; I'm absolutely boiled!"
(Referring to a simple meal) "For dinner tonight, we're just having boiled chicken and some steamed broccoli."
10 Quotes Using Boiled
"A gentleman is a man who can play the accordion, but doesn't." – Tom Waits, often misattributed as an original humorous quote, this is more of a common jest or paraphrase (Tom Waits, 1999)
"If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There's no way around these two things that I am aware of, no shortcut. I'm a slow learner, but I learned this truism early on. You have to read everything, good and bad, and see how it's done. You have to write everything, good and bad, and see how it's done. The more you boil it down, the more you realize that the fundamental law of writing is this: write what you know." (Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, 2000)
"Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city." (George Burns, Gracie: A Love Story, 1988)
"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink." (Proverb, origin unknown but widely used for centuries)
"Love and butter are two things you can never have enough of." (Proverb, origin unknown)
"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." (Oscar Wilde, Lady Windermere's Fan, 1892)
"Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans." (John Lennon, Double Fantasy, 1980)
"It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt." (Attributed to Abraham Lincoln and Mark Twain, widely used)
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." (Edmund Burke, Thoughts on the Cause of Present Discontents, 1770)
"The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable." (Gloria Steinem, often attributed, though likely a paraphrase of a biblical sentiment)
Etymology
The word "boiled" has a pretty bubbly history, much like the action it describes!
It comes from the Old French word "bolir," which meant "to bubble up, ferment, or gush." This Old French word, in turn, originated from the Latin word "bullire," meaning "to bubble" or "to seethe." And if you go back even further, "bullire" likely came from the Latin word "bulla," which literally meant "bubble." So, you can see a clear path from a simple "bubble" to our modern "boil."
The earliest known use of the verb "boil" in English, in the sense of "to bubble up or be in a state of ebullition, especially from heat," appeared in the early 13th century. This was an intransitive use, meaning the liquid itself was doing the bubbling.
By the early 14th century, the transitive sense emerged, meaning "to cause something to boil" or "to put something into a boiling condition."
Interestingly, the English language also had native words like "seethe" and "well" (in the sense of bubbling up) that described similar actions, but "boil" eventually became the dominant term.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Boiled
Boiled down to: Reduced to its most essential elements or simplest form.
Boiled over: (Literally) When a liquid in a pot overflows due to boiling. (Figuratively) When a situation becomes uncontrollable or someone loses their temper.
Boiled alive: (Figurative, often hyperbole) To be extremely hot and uncomfortable.
Boiled in oil: (Figurative, often hyperbole) To suffer an extreme punishment or discomfort.
Get one's blood boiled: To make someone extremely angry.
A watched pot never boils: A proverb meaning that time seems to pass more slowly when one is impatiently waiting for something to happen.
Boil the ocean: (Idiom with a synonym) To attempt an impossible or overwhelmingly large task (using "boil" instead of "fry" or "cook" for an original spin).
Seething with anger: (Idiom with a synonym) Extremely angry, often used when "boiling with anger" isn't as common.
Coming to a boil: A situation reaching a critical or intense point.
Boiling hot: Extremely hot (often used to describe weather or liquid).
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of boiled from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
