boil down

== English == === Etymology === As an allusion to the technique of reduction or decreasing liquid content of food by boiling much of its water off. === Verb === boil down (third-person singular simple present boils down, present participle boiling down, simple past and past participle boiled down) (transitive and intransitive) To reduce in volume by boiling. (intransitive) To become reduced (to the most central elements or ingredients: to the essence, core, or implication for action). (transitive) To reduce (to the most central elements or ingredients: to the essence, core, or implication for action). ==== Usage notes ==== Usually followed by to, as in some of the examples above. What usually get boiled down are problems, arguments, statements, etc. ==== Synonyms ==== (become reduced): come down to ==== Related terms ==== ==== Translations ====