boil down meaning and definition

BOIL DOWN verb

Definition of boil down (verb)

1. be the essential element
   • "The proposal boils down to a compromise"
   • synonyms: come down, reduce
2. be cooked until very little liquid is left
   • "The sauce should reduce to one cup"
   • synonyms: concentrate, decoct, reduce
3. cook until very little liquid is left
   • "The cook reduced the sauce by boiling it for a long time"
   • synonyms: concentrate, reduce