What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Boil vs Fester - What's the difference?

boil | fester | Synonyms |

As verbs the difference between boil and fester

is that boil is to heat (a liquid) to the point where it begins to turn into a gas while fester is to become septic; to become rotten.

As a noun boil

is a localized accumulation of pus in the skin, resulting from infection.

boil

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) bile, .

Noun

(en noun)
  • A localized accumulation of pus in the skin, resulting from infection.
    • Synonyms
    * abscess * carbuncle * cyst * furuncle * pimple * pustule
    External links
    * (Boil)

    Etymology 2

    (etyl) "to well up, boil"). More at seethe, well.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The point at which fluid begins to change to a vapour.
    • Add the noodles when the water comes to the boil .
  • A dish of boiled food, especially based on seafood.
  • (rare, nonstandard) The collective noun for a group of hawks.

    • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To heat (a liquid) to the point where it begins to turn into a gas.
    • Boil some water in a pan.
  • (intransitive) To cook in boiling water.
    • Boil the eggs for two minutes.
    Is the rice boiling yet?
  • Of a liquid, to begin to turn into a gas, seethe.
    • Pure water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
  • (intransitive, informal, used only in progressive tenses) Said of weather being uncomfortably hot.
    • It’s boiling outside!
  • (intransitive, informal, used only in progressive tenses) To feel uncomfortably hot. See also seethe.
    • I’m boiling in here – could you open the window?
  • To form, or separate, by boiling or evaporation.
    • to boil sugar or salt
  • (obsolete) To steep or soak in warm water.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • To try whether seeds be old or new, the sense cannot inform; but if you boil them in water, the new seeds will sprout sooner.
  • To be agitated like boiling water; to bubble; to effervesce.
    • the boiling waves of the sea
  • * Bible, Job xii. 31
    • He maketh the deep to boil like a pot.
  • To be moved or excited with passion; to be hot or fervid.
    • His blood boils with anger.
  • * Surrey
    • Then boiled my breast with flame and burning wrath.
    Synonyms
    * (of a liquid) seethe, well, plaw ; see also * (of the weather) be baking]], be scorching, [[swelter, be sweltering * (of a person) be seething]], be baking, [[stew, be stewing
    Antonyms
    * (of a liquid) condense * (of the weather) be freezing * (of a person) be freezing
    Derived terms
    * boil away * boil down * boil down to * boil off * boil over * go off the boil * hard-boiled * make someone's blood boil * parboil * pot boiler * slow boil * soft-boiled
    Related terms
    * ebullient
    See also
    * bake * condense * freeze * fry * grill * poach * steam
    External links
    * (Boiling)

    Anagrams

    * English ergative verbs English terms with multiple etymologies 1000 English basic words

    fester

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To become septic; to become rotten.
  • * Milton
    • Wounds immedicable / Rankle, and fester , and gangrene.
  • To worsen, especially due to lack of attention.
    • Deal with the problem immediately; do not let it fester .
  • * Macaulay
    • Hatred festered in the hearts of the children of the soil.
  • To cause to fester or rankle.
  • * Marston
    • For which I burnt in inward, swelt'ring hate, / And fester'd rankling malice in my breast.

    Anagrams

    * ----