from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Boil \Boil\ (boil), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Boiled} (boild); p. pr.
& vb. n. {Boiling}.] [OE. boilen, OF. boilir, builir, F.
bouillir, fr. L. bullire to be in a bubbling motion, from
bulla bubble; akin to Gr. ?, Lith. bumbuls. Cf. {Bull} an
edict, {Budge}, v., and {Ebullition}.]
1. To be agitated, or tumultuously moved, as a liquid by the
generation and rising of bubbles of steam (or vapor), or
of currents produced by heating it to the boiling point;
to be in a state of ebullition; as, the water boils.
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2. To be agitated like boiling water, by any other cause than
heat; to bubble; to effervesce; as, the boiling waves.
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He maketh the deep to boil like a pot. --Job xii.
31.
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3. To pass from a liquid to an a["e]riform state or vapor
when heated; as, the water boils away.
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4. To be moved or excited with passion; to be hot or fervid;
as, his blood boils with anger.
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Then boiled my breast with flame and burning wrath.
--Surrey.
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5. To be in boiling water, as in cooking; as, the potatoes
are boiling.
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{To boil away}, to vaporize; to evaporate or be evaporated by
the action of heat.
{To boil over}, to run over the top of a vessel, as liquid
when thrown into violent agitation by heat or other cause
of effervescence; to be excited with ardor or passion so
as to lose self-control.
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