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boil down. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
boil down, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
boil down in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
boil down you have here. The definition of the word
boil down will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
boil down, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
As an allusion to the technique of reduction or decreasing liquid content of food by boiling much of its water off.
Verb
boil down (third-person singular simple present boils down, present participle boiling down, simple past and past participle boiled down)
- (transitive and intransitive) To reduce in volume by boiling.
- He boiled the soup down so it wouldn't be so weak.
- (intransitive) To become reduced (to the most central elements or ingredients: to the essence, core, or implication for action).
- So what this boils down to is that you still owe me that fifty bucks.
2013 October 11, Daniel Taylor, The Guardian:For England, everything now boils down to what happens against Poland on Tuesday.
- (transitive) To reduce (to the most central elements or ingredients: to the essence, core, or implication for action).
- My dissertation is 342 pages long, and I'm required to boil it down to a one-page abstract?!
Usage notes
- Usually followed by to, as in some of the examples above.
- What usually get boiled down are problems, arguments, statements, etc.
Synonyms
Related terms
Translations
Used other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning