boil down to

[moonlike]

Hi
I have found the following definitions:
In CALD: If a situation or problem boils down to something that is the main reason for it.
In LAAD: If a long statement, argument etc. boils down to something that thing is the main reason of it.

So if A boils down to B,
B will be the source of problems or A will be the source of problems? I think based on the above definitions, B will be the reason of problems.Am I right?

For instance, most of the family arguments boil down to favoritism. So does it mean that favoritism is the source of problems?

Thanks a million.

[emsr2d2]

Hi
I have found the following definitions:
In CALD: If a situation or problem boils down to something that is the main reason for it.
In LAAD: If a long statement, argument etc. boils down to something that thing is the main reason of it.

So if A boils down to B,
B will be the source of problems or A will be the source of problems? I think based on the above definitions, B will be the reason of problems.Am I right?

For instance, most of the family arguments boil down to favoritism. So does it mean that favoritism is the source of problems?

Thanks a million.

It means that favoritism is the usual cause of the family arguments. You can't go so far as to say that is the "source of problems". You only know that it's the main reason for most of the family arguments.

[SoothingDave]

You boil something down to get to its essence. Like making maple syrup. The collected sap is boiled down until it is a syrup.