boiling
- 01 A2 Elementary
adj.used to describe weather or a room that is uncomfortably hot.
adj.denoting weather or ambient conditions of extreme heat. Informal in register when used as a synonym for 'very hot'.
Simple“Can we open a window? It is boiling in this office.”
In context“The commuters huddled under the few patches of shade available on the platform, complaining that the afternoon was absolutely boiling.”
UsageOften used with 'absolutely' rather than 'very' because it is an ungradable adjective.
PitfallIt is very boiling today. It is absolutely boiling today.Boiling is an 'extreme' adjective. Use 'absolutely' or 'completely' instead of 'very' to add emphasis.
- 02 B1 Intermediate
adj.liquid that has reached the temperature where it turns into steam.
adj.referring to a liquid that has reached its boiling point and is actively bubbling and vaporising.
Simple“Be careful with that boiling water when you make the tea.”
In context“The recipe requires you to pour the boiling liquid over the dried fruit and let it steep for at least twenty minutes.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.the process of heating a liquid until it bubbles and turns to gas.
n.the physical process of rapid vaporisation of a liquid, typically occurring when it is heated to its boiling point.
Simple“The boiling of the water took longer than usual because of the high altitude.”
In context“The rapid boiling of the solvent ensured that the impurities were carried away in the steam, leaving the purified compound behind.”
SynonymsvaporisationebullitionAntonyms - 04 B1 Intermediate
adv.used before 'hot' to mean extremely hot.
adv.an intensifier used exclusively with the adjective 'hot'.
Simple“The soup was boiling hot, so I had to wait a few minutes to eat it.”
In context“After hiking all day in the sun, the trekkers were grateful for a dip in the lake, even though the air remained boiling hot.”
UsageAlmost exclusively found in the collocation 'boiling hot'.
From boil + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.