boiling point
The term "boiling point" is used in both scientific contexts to describe the phase change of a liquid to gas and in idiomatic expressions to describe a critical or highly emotional state.
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Definition
B2Physical Chemistry
(technical, scientific)The temperature at which a liquid changes into vapor when its vapor pressure equals the external pressure.
Example
- Water has a boiling point of 100°C at standard atmospheric pressure.
B2Idiomatic
(metaphorical, informal)A critical moment when emotions or a situation become uncontrollable.
Example
- After hours of argument, he finally reached his boiling point and stormed out of the room.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "boiling point":
melting pointboil offcome to a boilflash pointboil overtriple pointon the boilbring to a boilboil upbreaking pointcritical point