As it is, the client was getting irritated with the delay in the delivery of the software. The new sales guy which the company sent had unimpressive English communication skills and it only added to the problems. However, things reached the boiling point when the company failed to meet the third consecutive deadline. The client decided to stop the project immediately.
Can you guess what, “Reaching boiling point” could mean?
Suppose you are heating water in a pot. As the temperature rises, you’d see bubbles forming in the pan, steam coming out of the pan. However, as soon as the temperature reaches boiling point – you’d see the entire water boiling – bubbles forming all over, steam and sound.
Things reached boiling point for Mangal Pandey when he was given cartridges made of cow and pig fat.
This is the idea of things reaching boiling point. When a problem explodes or reaches the point where it cannot be controlled, you’d say things have reached boiling point. Then you have the problem in its full bubbling, gurgling boiling glory.
Let’s take some examples:
- There always was a simmering tension between two families. However, things reached boiling point when the youngest son of the Pathans ran away with the daughter of the Quereshis.
- There was discontent in the Indian soldiers against the British. However, things reached boiling point when the new cartridges made of cow and pig fat were given to them
- Public anger reached the boiling point when the policemen called to control the crowd began misbehaving with the people.
A similar phrase is boil over which expresses a similar idea. When you say public anger boiled over – you are saying the same thing as public anger reached the boiling point.
Some more examples:
- Public anger in India against Pakistan boiled over with the 26/11 attacks on Mumbai.
- The boss boiled over in anger and fired him immediately.
- Mamta Banerjee was always an erratic ally but things reached boiling point when the UPA government announced FDI in retail.
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