From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishboilboil1 /bɔɪl/ ●●● S3 verb 1 [intransitive, transitive]DFCH when a liquid boils, or when you boil it, it becomes hot enough to turn into gasboil at The solution boiled at 57.4°C. Put the spaghetti into plenty of boiling salted water. We were advised to boil the water before drinking it.2 [intransitive, transitive]DFC to cook something in boiling water a boiled egg Boil the rice for 15 minutes. She fried the chicken and put the vegetables on to boil.► see thesaurus at cook3 [intransitive, transitive]DFCH if something containing liquid boils, the liquid inside it is boiling The kettle’s boiling – shall I turn it off? The saucepan boiled dry on the stove.4 [transitive]DHC to wash something, using boiling water I always boil the cotton sheets.5 [intransitive] if you are boiling with anger, you are extremely angryboil with Lewis was boiling with rage and misery. → boiling point(2), → make somebody’s blood boil at blood1(4)GrammarBoil belongs to a group of verbs where the same noun can be the subject of the verb or its object. • You can say: I’m boiling the potatoes. In this sentence, ‘the potatoes’ is the object of boil.• You can also say: The potatoes are boiling. In this sentence, ‘the potatoes’ is the subject of boil. → boil away → boil down → boil over → boil up→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
boil• This got Jim's blood boiling and, driving like a tiger, he dominated from the start.• I boil it like a tea and it helps hurry the process up, if the woman is ready.• The beans should be boiled rapidly for at least twenty minutes.• Put the spaghetti into boiling, salted water.• She was just boiling some water when the door opened and Julius walked in.• Boil the potatoes until they are soft.• Boil the vegetables for 10 minutes.• Boil the water before drinking it.• Clothes had to be boiled to prevent the disease from spreading.• One afternoon that spring the weather became inordinately hot, boiling up to midsummer levels.boil at• Water boils at 100 degrees centigrade.put ... on to boil• I filled a kettle with water from the outside tap and put it on to boil.• He put water on to boil and took a cold shower.boiled dry• Anyway that kettle must be boiled dry now; make the tea.boilboil2 noun 1 → the boil2 [countable]MI a painful infected swelling under someone’s skin The boy’s body is covered in boils.3 → go off the boilExamples from the Corpus
boil• Gradually stir in chicken broth and bring to a boil, stirring.• Add stock, bouquet garni, tomatoes, and browned rabbit and bring to a boil.• Finally the water in the kettle comes to a boil.• Heat the milk, cream and chocolate until melted then bring to the boil.• Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and cook for 40 minutes. 3.• Bring to the boil, stirring continuously, and boil for 2-3 minutes.• Place the pan on the cooker and bring the contents gradually to the boil.Origin boil1 (1200-1300) Old French boillir, from Latin bullire, from bulla “bubble” boil2 1. (1400-1500) → BOIL12. Old English byl 