boiled
boyld
Boiled (adj) means Cooked by being immersed in boiling water. Example: “She served boiled potatoes with butter and herbs.”
adj
1
Cooked by being immersed in boiling water.
"She served boiled potatoes with butter and herbs."
"I like boiled eggs with a pinch of salt for breakfast."
"Boiled rice is the easiest side dish to prepare for a large group."
2
Informal: drunk.
"I got a closing at four o'clock in the Chrysler building and I'm boiled as an owl."
— Herman Wouk, Don't Stop the Carnival (1965)
"By midnight he was completely boiled."
"After four pints at the wedding, my uncle was properly boiled."
"They stumbled home boiled and singing at the top of their voices."
How to use boiled
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishCooked in boiling water — or, informally, very drunk.
When to use it
The "drunk" sense is slang and dated/regional.
Common pairings
boiled egg
boiled potatoes
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more boiled
- Superlative
- most boiled
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She served _____ potatoes with butter and herbs.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for boiled
See all rhymes for boiled →Frequently asked questions
What does “boiled” mean?
The word “boiled” means cooked by being immersed in boiling water. In plain terms, cooked in boiling water — or, informally, very drunk.
How do you pronounce “boiled”?
“Boiled” is pronounced boyld (/bɔɪld/ in IPA).
How do you use “boiled” in a sentence?
Here is “boiled” used in a sentence: “She served boiled potatoes with butter and herbs.”
What part of speech is “boiled”?
“Boiled” is an adjective.
Is “boiled” a common word?
“Boiled” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “boiled” have?
“Boiled” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: cooked by being immersed in boiling water.
What is the difference between boiled and steamed food?
Boiled food is cooked by being immersed directly in boiling water, while steamed food is cooked by the heat of steam without direct contact with the water. Boiling can leach out more nutrients and flavor into the water than steaming.
What does it mean to call someone boiled?
Calling someone boiled is an informal way of saying they are drunk. This slang usage is unrelated to cooking and is typically found in casual or dated speech.
Why do some recipes specify hard-boiled versus soft-boiled?
Hard-boiled and soft-boiled describe how long an egg has been cooked by being boiled, with hard-boiled meaning the yolk is fully set and soft-boiled meaning the yolk remains runny. Both are variations on the basic boiled cooking method.
