boil up
The phrase "boil up" can refer to both literal cooking methods and metaphorical descriptions of emotions and situations.
Definition
A2Cooking
(transitive)To prepare food by bringing it to the boiling point.
Example
- She decided to boil up some potatoes for dinner.
B2Emotions
(idiomatic, intransitive)To experience a rapid increase in intensity of feelings, often anger or frustration.
Example
- He could feel his anger boiling up inside him.
B2Situations
(idiomatic, intransitive)To escalate or intensify, often reaching a critical or dangerous level.
Example
- Tensions in the region have been boiling up for weeks.
C1Cooking
(regional, New Zealand)A traditional Maori soup or stew made with potatoes, pork, and other ingredients.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "boil up":
on the boilboil overcome to a boilsimmer upboil offbubble upboil downbring to a boilbroil upbowl upstew upheat upwell upbrew upcook upboil washsteamed upgo off the boilhot upoff the boilsteam upflame upcook up a stormcook offstir upchurn upturn up the heatbell upfoam upburst upkeep the pot boilingcome to a headwhip upblow upwork upsteaming upfry upburn upscorch upkick upfire upbob uphead of steamcrank uproast uppuff upgin uprark upboiling pointball upcome upspark upgen upamp upbooze upcure upbottle uppuddle uprun hotflare up