to prepare (food) by the use of heat, as by boiling, baking, or roasting.
to subject (anything) to the application of heat.
to process (computer programming code or other digital data) for use in an executable file format.
Slang. to falsify, as accounts.
to cook the expense figures.
to prepare food by the use of heat.
(of food) to undergo cooking.
Slang.
to be full of activity and excitement.
Las Vegas cooks around the clock.
to perform, work, or do in just the right way and with energy and enthusiasm.
That new drummer is really cooking tonight. Now you're cooking!
to be in preparation; develop.
Plans for the new factory have been cooking for several years.
What's cooking at the club?
cook up
to concoct or contrive, often dishonestly.
She hastily cooked up an excuse.
to falsify.
Someone had obviously cooked up the alibi.
cook off (of a shell or cartridge) to explode or fire without being triggered as a result of overheating in the chamber of the weapon.
cook one's goose. goose.
cook the books, to manipulate the financial records of a company, organization, etc., so as to conceal profits, avoid taxes, or present a false financial report to stockholders.
Frederick Albert, 1865–1940, U.S. physician and polar explorer.
George Cram 1873–1924, U.S. novelist, dramatist, and poet.
Captain James, 1728–79, English navigator and explorer in the South Pacific and Southern Oceans, particularly in the areas of Australia and New Zealand.
Sir Joseph, 1860–1947, Australian statesman, born in England: prime minister of Australia 1913–14.
Also called Aoraki. Also called Aorangi. Mount Cook, a mountain in New Zealand, on South Island. 12,349 feet (3,764 meters).
to prepare (food) by the action of heat, as by boiling, baking, etc, or (of food) to become ready for eating through such a process
to subject or be subjected to the action of intense heat
the town cooked in the sun
slang (tr) to alter or falsify (something, esp figures, accounts, etc)
to cook the books
slang (tr) to spoil or ruin (something)
slang (intr) to happen (esp in the phrase what's cooking? )
slang (tr) to prepare (any of several drugs) by heating
slang (intr) music to play vigorously
the band was cooking
informal
to spoil a person's plans
to bring about someone's ruin, downfall, etc
Captain James . 1728–79, British navigator and explorer: claimed the E coast of Australia for Britain, circumnavigated New Zealand, and discovered several Pacific and Atlantic islands (1768–79)
Sir Joseph. 1860–1947, Australian statesman, born in England: prime minister of Australia (1913–14)
Peter ( Edward ). 1937–95, British comedy actor and writer, noted esp for his partnership (1960–73) with Dudley Moore
Robin, full name Robert Finlayson Cook . 1946–2005, British Labour politician; foreign secretary (1997–2001), Leader of the House (2001-2003)
Thomas. 1808–92, British travel agent; innovator of conducted excursions and founder of the travel agents Thomas Cook and Son
Official name: Aoraki-Mount Cook. a mountain in New Zealand, in the South Island, in the Southern Alps: the highest peak in New Zealand. Height: reduced in 1991 by a rockfall from 3764 m (12 349 ft) to 3754 m (12 316 ft)
a mountain in SE Alaska, in the St Elias Mountains. Height: 4194 m (13 760 ft)
First recorded before 1000; (noun) Middle English co(o)ke, Old English cōc (compare Old Norse kokkr, German Koch, Dutch kok ), from Latin cocus, coquus, derivative of coquere “to cook”; akin to Sanskrit pácati “(he) cooks, bakes, roasts,” Slavic ( Polish ) piec “to bake, roast,” Greek péssein, péptein “to boil, cook”; the verb is derivative of the noun
First recorded in 1780–90; of uncertain origin
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
I like to follow tennis and play tennis, ride horses, smell roses—I love roses—and cook.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
Add minced garlic, minced ginger and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant.
From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026
Households in India have long relied on an informal army of domestic workers to mop floors, wash dishes and cook meals.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
Elaine Yates, 77, says money worries mean she "can't remember" the last time she used her oven to cook a hot meal.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
Born enslaved around 1800, George was the son of a cook in the Jackson household named Hannah.
From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis
In June, Cook played the 60-capacity venue in a sold-out gig as part of the Everywhere at Once festival.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Cook the finely chopped kataifi pastry dough in a teaspoon of butter until golden-brown.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
Cook estimates that headline inflation this year will be about one percentage point higher than what was anticipated a year ago.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
Now Tim Cook is suing in a bid to protect Apple’s dominance in hand-held devices as the chief executive prepares to depart in September.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
He had been buried without funeral or rite in the Cook County Cemetery at Dunning, amid the mad and the unknown dead.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
As a result, both professional and home cooks are searching for innovative ways to expand the flavors of their dishes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
The crust is crisp, the pizza cooks more evenly, and I enjoy eating it.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 2026
This season is less about surviving on a student budget and more about helping home cooks waste less, improvise more and look at what’s already in the fridge or pantry with confidence.
From Salon ● Jul. 2, 2026
He worked pop-ups, reopened Baohaus and found himself alongside line cooks half his age.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
“I think we change cooks periodically,” said Maxim, “but the standard of cooking remains the same. Mrs. Danvers has all the recipes, she tells them what to do.”
From "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
