broil
broil Lexical Profile
broil Game Scores & Validity
• verb
North American To cook meat, fish, or vegetables by exposing them directly to intense radiant heat from above or below.
"She decided to broil the salmon fillets with lemon and herbs for a quick dinner."
To become or make someone or something extremely hot, especially from exposure to the sun.
"The spectators began to broil in the bleachers under the relentless afternoon sun."
• noun
North American A dish of meat, fish, or seafood cooked by exposure to direct radiant heat, or the act of cooking food in this manner.
"The restaurant's signature London broil is served with roasted potatoes and seasonal vegetables."
A noisy quarrel, brawl, or state of tumultuous confusion.
"The tavern quickly descended into a chaotic broil after the rival factions clashed."
Word Nuance & Usage
In culinary usage, "broil" is primarily North American and corresponds to British English "grill" when referring to cooking food under a top-mounted oven heating element.
• Rhymes for broil
Word Origin & Etymology
The culinary sense comes from Middle English broilen, borrowed from Old French bruler ('to burn'). The noun sense meaning 'a quarrel or tumult' derives separately from Old French brouiller ('to mix up, confuse, or embroil').