the temperature at which a liquid boils at sea level
"they brought the water to a boil"
A localized accumulation of pus in the skin, resulting from infection.
"Water reaches its boiling point when it begins to change into steam."
The point at which fluid begins to change to a vapour.
In plain English: A boil is an infected lump of pus that forms under your skin and can be painful to touch.
"The soup had reached a boil when I added the noodles."
Usage: Use "boil" as a noun only when referring specifically to an infected skin lesion; avoid using it for general inflammation or other types of sores. In medical contexts, prefer the more precise term "furuncle" if greater specificity is required.
come to the boiling point and change from a liquid to vapor
"Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius"
immerse or be immersed in a boiling liquid, often for cooking purposes
"boil potatoes"
"boil wool"
To heat to the point where it begins to turn into a gas.
"The water began to boil as soon as the pot reached its boiling point."
In plain English: To boil means to heat liquid until it bubbles and turns into steam.
"She will boil some water to make tea."
The word boil comes from Old English, where it originally meant a swelling or tumor on the skin before traveling into modern usage to describe the cooking process. Its roots trace back through Middle English and Proto-Germanic, sharing family ties with similar words in Dutch and German that also refer to swellings.