boil
n. countablen. the point when a liquid becomes hot enough to turn into steam and starts bubbling. You usually wait for this before adding pasta or tea to water.
n. the temperature or state at which a liquid undergoes a phase change into gas, characterised by the formation of bubbles throughout the bulk of the liquid. Often used in the phrase 'to bring to a/the boil'.
Wait for the water to reach a boil before adding the rice.
The recipe says to bring the sauce to a boil and then immediately reduce the heat to a simmer.
Once the mixture reaches a rolling boil, the rapid evaporation of water concentrates the sugars, which is essential for achieving the correct consistency in jam making.
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.
From Middle English boillen, from Old French boillir (see French bouillir) from Latin bullīre (“to bubble, boil”), from bulla (“bubble”). Displaced native Old English weallan (intransitive) and wiellan (transitive). More at wall, well.
Commonly used in the singular with the definite or indefinite article, especially in the fixed phrases 'to bring to a boil' or 'to come to a boil'.