- to boil until partially cooked, often before further cooking
- to subject to uncomfortable heat
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
par•boil /ˈpɑrˌbɔɪl/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Foodto boil partially, esp. before further cooking.
par•boil
(pär′boil′),USA pronunciation v.t.
- Foodto boil partially or for a short time;
precook.
- Late Latin perbullīre to boil through and through (see per-, boil); change of meaning by confusion of par- with part
- Middle French parboillir
- late Middle English parboylen to boil partly, (rarely) to boil fully 1400–50
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
parboil /ˈpɑːˌbɔɪl/ vb (transitive)
'parboil' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):