boilover
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
A sporting event with an unexpected outcome, especially a horse race where the favourite fails to win.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
Australian English
Examples
[…] there was not much good horsemanship. The Derby itself was an ordinary race, something of a boilover for Dark Star […]
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “boilover” mean?
A sporting event with an unexpected outcome, especially a horse race where the favourite fails to win.
Is “boilover” formal or informal?
boilover is generally slang.