come to a boil
The phrase "come to a boil" is commonly used in both culinary contexts and to describe situations that have reached a critical point.
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Definition
A2Cooking
To reach the temperature at which a liquid changes to vapor.
Example
- Wait for the water to come to a boil before adding the pasta.
B2General
(figurative)To reach a critical or intense point.
Example
- The argument finally came to a boil during the meeting.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "come to a boil":
bring to a boilboil upboil overon the boilboil offboil downsimmer upcome to a headboil washgo off the boilboiling pointoff the boilbroil upkeep the pot boilingcook offbubble upturn up the heatcome toheat up