1 B1 neutral
(Of a liquid) To be reduced or disappear completely through prolonged boiling.
"I forgot about the pot on the stove and all the water had boiled away by the time I returned."
inseparable
boil away
B1 neutral inseparable transitive/intransitive
To disappear as steam or vapour through continued boiling, or to continue boiling steadily.
In plain English
To slowly disappear as steam while something is being boiled — like water in a pot getting less and less.
What does "boil away" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 neutral
To continue boiling steadily over a period of time.
"Leave the stock to boil away on a low heat for about an hour."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To boil until the liquid goes away (evaporates).
Actually means
To slowly disappear as steam while something is being boiled — like water in a pot getting less and less.
Usage tip
Common in cooking contexts. Also used scientifically to describe the evaporation of liquid during a chemical process. The intransitive form ('the water boiled away') is more common than the transitive ('boil away the liquid').
Words that pair with "boil away"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
water liquid sauce broth alcohol solvent
How to conjugate "boil away"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
boil away
I/you/we/they
3rd person
boils away
he/she/it
Past simple
boiled away
yesterday
Past participle
boiled away
have + pp
-ing form
boiling away
continuous
Hear "boil away" in the wild
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