boil down

Distill the essence

To boil down is to reduce a liquid by heating until some evaporates, concentrating what remains.

The figurative meaning dominates: to distill something to its essence.

Let me boil down the argument for you.

When something boils down to a single point, that's its core: It all boils down to money.

summarize

simplify

Make less complex

condenseMake more compact
distillPurify through vaporization
essenceFundamental nature of something

core · gist · crux · recap · encapsulate · synopsis · digest · outline · abstract · epitomize

cooking

reduce

Make smaller in degree

simmerCook just under boiling
evaporateTransition to gaseous state
thickenIncrease in viscosity

concentrate · sauce · stock · glaze · syrup · broth · reduction · deglaze · intensify · condense

Categories

office jargonsynergy, circle back, touch base, deep dive, action item
streamliningstreamline, simplify, optimize, consolidate, condense
scaling downscale back, cut back, dial back, taper off, roll back

Opposites

condensation vs. expansion

boil downexpand

Increase in size

elaborate · flesh out · pad out · amplify · blow up

simplification vs. complication

boil downcomplicate

Make more difficult

obscure · muddy · convolute · overcomplicate · obfuscate

distillation vs dilution

boil downdilute

Reduce by adding solvent

water down · spread thin · diffuse · disperse · scatter

Family

down, boil, boiling, boiled, downs, boils, downer, boiling down, downed

Familiarity: Top 50,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Everyday, not technical · Rated G