boil
The term evokes a sense of violent agitation and high energy, whether through the physical churning of bubbles in a liquid or the internal turbulence of intense anger. It suggests a threshold being crossed where a state of stability is lost to rapid movement or heat.
As a noun, the word exhibits a stark semantic split. It can refer to a thermal process or a localized skin infection. When referring to the medical condition, it is a countable noun, whereas the process of heating is typically treated as an uncountable state or a specific event.
Meanings
To reach the temperature at which a liquid turns into vapor, characterized by the formation of bubbles.
The kettle began to boil after a few minutes.
To heat a liquid until it reaches its boiling point.
You need to boil the water before adding the pasta.
To cook a food item by immersing it in boiling liquid.
I will boil the eggs for six minutes.
Examples
Phrasal Verbs
boil over
to bubble over the edge of a container due to excessive heat
The milk began to boil over as soon as I turned my back.
boil down
to reduce a liquid by boiling it until it becomes thicker and more concentrated
You should boil down the sauce for ten minutes to intensify the flavor.
boil away
to evaporate completely through the process of boiling
The water slowly boiled away, leaving a salty residue in the pan.
boil off
to remove a substance from a mixture by boiling it away
The chemist used heat to boil off the solvent from the sample.