SIMMER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does simmer mean? 

• SIMMER (noun)
  The noun SIMMER has 1 sense:

1. temperature just below the boiling point

  Familiarity information: SIMMER used as a noun is very rare.

• SIMMER (verb)
  The verb SIMMER has 1 sense:

1. boil slowly at low temperature

  Familiarity information: SIMMER used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SIMMER (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Temperature just below the boiling point

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Context example:

the stew remained at a simmer for hours

Hypernyms ("simmer" is a kind of...):

temperature (the degree of hotness or coldness of a body or environment (corresponding to its molecular activity))

Derivation:

simmer (boil slowly at low temperature)

• SIMMER (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they simmer    ... he / she / it simmers   
Past simple: simmered   
Past participle: simmered   
-ing form: simmering   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Boil slowly at low temperature

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

simmering water

Hypernyms (to "simmer" is one way to...):

boil (immerse or be immersed in a boiling liquid, often for cooking purposes)

Domain category:

cookery; cooking; preparation (the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

The chefs simmer the vegetables

Derivation:

simmer (temperature just below the boiling point)

simmering (cooking in a liquid that has been brought to a boil)

 Context examples 

Uranus rules all things that happen that you’d never expect, so suffice to say, simmer any new relationship on low until you know one another better.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

"It's genius simmering, perhaps. I'll let it simmer, and see what comes of it," he said, with a secret suspicion all the while that it wasn't genius, but something far more common.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

"Good-night!" said I, and vanished, like all disconsolate and broken-hearted heroes, into the darkness, with grief and rage and laughter all simmering within me like a boiling pot.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

On this fire a great cauldron bubbled and simmered, giving forth a rich and promising smell.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“It simmers and it boils,” cried Johnston, pushing his hard-lined face through the smoke.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The whole great audience seethed and simmered like a boiling pot.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It's simmering now, so I hope he'll keep out of my way, returned Jo, biting her lips as she glowered at Fred from under her big hat.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

A thousand columns of smoke reeked up into the pure morning air where the faggots were piled and the camp-kettles already simmering.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Hagar, the witch, chanted an awful incantation over her kettleful of simmering toads, with weird effect.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Whatever it was, it simmered to some purpose, for he grew more and more discontented with his desultory life, began to long for some real and earnest work to go at, soul and body, and finally came to the wise conclusion that everyone who loved music was not a composer.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)