simmer

Definition

To cook or undergo heating slowly at or below the boiling point.

Etymology

From alteration of dialectal simper, from Middle English simperen (“to simmer”), of possibly imitative origin. First attested in the intransitive sense. The noun is from the verb. First attested in the late 15ᵗʰ century.

Example Sentences

• "The soup simmered on the stove."
• "The locomotive was the now inevitable American 2-8-0, No. 2623. There she stood, effectively blocking the level crossing, simmering gently, massively inert. It was almost dark, and one's final sight was of her high, firelit cab, the enginemen nonchalantly leaning out, waiting for the right-away, while impatient road convoys piled up on both sides of the crossing."
• "That way, the heat can circulate under the meat and prevent it from simmering in its juices."