Parboiling is a step before fully cooking food, leaving it semi-cooked and requiring further preparation.

Partial Cooking

Parboiling can help retain the texture and firmness of vegetables to prevent overcooking later.

Retains Texture

Parboiling is used to remove strong flavors or to prepare food for marination.

The term 'parboil' can be used metaphorically to describe feeling extremely hot or overheated.

The metaphorical use of 'parboil' is rare and can give a dated or poetic feel to language.

Used colloquially, 'parboil' may exaggerate discomfort due to heat, emphasizing severity.