boil down
phrasal verb·1 sense·particle down
Meanings
Reduce to the essential point
Why “down”? You move from the whole thing to the smaller parts, so you can understand it.
“It all boils down to money in the end.”
“The problem boils down to trust.”
Don't confuse with
Boil down means reduce to the essential point. Boil over means overflow while boiling.
Test yourself
“It all boils down to money in the end.” What does it mean?
Nearby in the meaning map
Sink In connects verbs by particle pattern, contrast pairs, and shared base verbs.
boil over
A contrast learners often mix up
(of liquid) overflow while boiling
break down
Same down pattern: into parts
(of a vehicle or machine) stop working; Lose emotional control and start crying; Separate something into smaller parts to understand it; (of negotiations or relationships) fail or end; Force a door open by hitting it; Decompose into simpler chemical substances
narrow down
Same down pattern: into parts
Reduce a range of options to specifics; Reduce the number of possibilities to a smaller set
whittle down
Same down pattern: into parts
Gradually reduce by removing pieces
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