boil over
The term "boil over" can describe both a physical action in cooking and a metaphorical expression of uncontrollable emotions.
🇺🇸 US Voice:
🇬🇧 UK Voice:
Definition
B2Cooking
(common)To heat a liquid until it bubbles up and spills over the edge of its container.
Example
- Watch the pot carefully so the soup doesn't boil over.
B2Emotions
(idiomatic, informal)To reach a point where strong emotions become uncontrollable and are expressed outwardly.
Example
- Her frustration finally boiled over, and she started yelling.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "boil over":
boil upcome to a boilboil offon the boilbring to a boilbubble upbrim overspill overgo off the boilcook offsimmer upoff the boilbroil upflame upboil downboil washboiling pointburst upwell upblow overgo overboardbubble underblow upblow a gasketbowl upass over teakettlemelt downfoam upblow outflare upflame outburst outcatch firespill out