boil down

phr.v. to reduce a lot of information to its most important parts.

phr.v. to reduce a complex argument, situation, or piece of information to its fundamental essence or most important points.

“The whole problem boils down to a lack of communication between the two teams.”

“The entire legal dispute essentially boils down to a single clause in the original contract that both parties interpreted differently.”

phr.v. to cook a liquid until some of it turns to steam and the rest becomes thicker.

phr.v. to reduce the volume of a liquid through evaporation by boiling, typically to concentrate flavour or thicken consistency.

“You need to boil the sauce down until it is thick enough to coat a spoon.”

“The chef instructed his assistants to boil down the stock for several hours to create a rich, highly concentrated glaze.”