verb (old).—To betray: TO PEACH.
1602. ROWLANDS, Greenes Ghost haunting Conie-Catchers, 16. His cloyer or follower fortwith BOYLES him, that is, bewrayes him.
1611. MIDDLETON and DEKKER, The Roaring Girle, Wks., 1873, III., 220. Wee are smoakt … wee are BOYL’D, pox on her!
TO BOIL DOWN, verb. phr. (common).—To reduce in bulk by condensing or epitomizing.
1880. The Saturday Review, No. 1288, 28. It is surprising to see how much research Mr. S. has sometimes contrived TO BOIL DOWN into a single line.
1885. G. DOLLY, Dickens as I knew Him, 125. The newspaper and political elements having been consulted, and their opinions having been BOILED DOWN.
1887. H. FREDERICK, [Scribner’s Magazine, I., 479]. To ‘BOIL DOWN’ columns of narrative into a few lines of bald, cold statement.
1888. Polytechnic Magazine, 25 Oct., 258.
| Whatever you have to say, my friend,… | |
| Just a word of friendly advice—BOIL IT DOWN. |
PHRASES.—TO BOIL THE POT = to gain (or supply) one’s livelihood: hence TO KEEP THE POT BOILING = to keep going. THE BLOOD BOILS (of strong emotion or resentment). TO BOIL ONE’S LOBSTER = to enter the army after having been in the church.
