cook

[ kook ]

/ kʊk /

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verb (used with object)

to prepare (food) by the use of heat, as by boiling, baking, or roasting.

to subject (anything) to the application of heat.

Slang. to ruin; spoil.

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.

verb (used without object)

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.
to take place; occur; happen: What's cooking at the club?

noun

a person who cooks: The restaurant hired a new cook.

Verb Phrases

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 up, Informal.

to concoct or contrive, often dishonestly: She hastily cooked up an excuse.
to falsify: Someone had obviously cooked up the alibi.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about cook

cook one's goose. goose (def. 11).

cook the books, Slang. 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.

Origin of cook

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

OTHER WORDS FROM cook

cook·a·ble, adjectivecookless, adjectiveun·cook·a·ble, adjective

Words nearby cook

coochie, cooee, cooey, coof, cooing, cook, cookbook, Cook, Captain James, cook-chill, Cooke, cooker

Other definitions for cook (2 of 3)

cook²

[ kook, kook ]

/ kuk, kʊk /

verb (used without object) Scot.

to hide, especially outdoors, as by crouching down behind a hedge.

Origin of cook

First recorded in 1780–90; of uncertain origin

Other definitions for cook (3 of 3)

Cook

[ kook ]

/ kʊk /

noun

Frederick Albert, 1865–1940, U.S. physician and polar explorer.

George Cram

[jawrj-kram], /ˈdʒɔrdʒ ˈkræm/, 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.

Mount Cook, a mountain in New Zealand, on South Island. 12,349 feet (3,764 meters).Also called A·o·ra·ki [ah-oh-rah-kee], /ˌɑ oʊˈrɑ ki/, A·o·ran·gi

[ah-oh-rahng-gee]. /ˌɑ oʊˈrɑŋ gi/.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use cook in a sentence

Jennifer follows her passions and takes us readers and cooks to places we might not go to if she didn't lead us there.
Blood is a respected ingredient around the world, but less so in the U.S. A new book aims to change that.|Mayukh Sen|February 26, 2021|Washington Post
Mirsani’s sister, Ilhama Safarova, was among the contributing cooks.
This new Azerbaijani bakery offers stories as good as its pastries|Tom Sietsema|February 26, 2021|Washington Post
Colleagues have become very patient about me cooking while on calls with them, and my boss always politely offers to call back at a more convenient time when met with the boys chanting “go away, go away” at him.
Broken windows, ‘cuddling breaks’ and interrupted video calls: Parents share realities of juggling work while homeschooling kids|Jessica Davies|February 26, 2021|Digiday
Portland’s Lex Grant has cooked in the NBA bubble and for Oprah Winfrey.
The Snow Didn’t Stop. Neither Did Chef Lex Grant.|Brooke Jackson-Glidden|February 25, 2021|Eater

Some people find it helpful to label things with the date they were purchased or cooked.
A third of all food in the U.S. gets wasted. Fixing that could help fight climate change.|Sarah Kaplan|February 25, 2021|Washington Post
Cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes or until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
Make ‘The Chew’s’ Carla Hall’s Sticky Toffee Pudding|Carla Hall|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Continue to cook until the sauce has reduced by three quarters.
Make Carla Hall’s Roasted Pork Loin With Cranberries|Carla Hall|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In his response, Cook spoke sensitively about the very real danger present in the general pickup community.
School Shooters Love This Pickup Artist Website|Brandy Zadrozny|December 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“It's insane to see what the extreme version of that type of helpless anger combined with mental illness can create,” Cook wrote.
School Shooters Love This Pickup Artist Website|Brandy Zadrozny|December 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
An older white woman, stopped Cook to ask, in strong New York accent, “Oh no, did they let him off?”
‘They Let Him Off?’ Scenes from NYC in Disbelief|Jacob Siegel|December 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She did not need a great cook-book; She knew how much and what it took To make things good and sweet and light.
Boys and Girls Bookshelf; a Practical Plan of Character Building, Volume I (of 17)|Various
The camp grew still, except for the rough and ready cook pottering about the fire, boiling buffalo-meat and mixing biscuit-dough.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
It is to be feared that like the sauce of sauces in the hands of the inexperienced cook, the result is more than doubtful.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
The voice of duty called her to the kitchen, where her cook patiently awaited her inevitable, and always painful, audience.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
They stood outside the window and the cook passed them their coffee and a roll, which they drank and ate from the window-sill.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin

British Dictionary definitions for cook (1 of 3)

cook

/ (kʊk) /

verb

to prepare (food) by the action of heat, as by boiling, baking, etc, or (of food) to become ready for eating through such a processRelated adjective: culinary

to subject or be subjected to the action of intense heatthe town cooked in the sun

(tr) slang to alter or falsify (something, esp figures, accounts, etc)to cook the books

(tr) slang to spoil or ruin (something)

(intr) slang to happen (esp in the phrase what's cooking?)

(tr) slang to prepare (any of several drugs) by heating

(intr) music slang to play vigorouslythe band was cooking

cook someone's goose informal

to spoil a person's plans
to bring about someone's ruin, downfall, etc

noun

a person who prepares food for eating, esp as an occupation

Derived forms of cook

cookable, adjectivecooking, noun

Word Origin for cook

Old English cōc (n), from Latin coquus a cook, from coquere to cook

British Dictionary definitions for cook (2 of 3)

Cook¹

/ (kʊk) /

noun 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)Official name: Aoraki-Mount Cook

a mountain in SE Alaska, in the St Elias Mountains. Height: 4194 m (13 760 ft)

British Dictionary definitions for cook (3 of 3)

Cook²

/ (kʊk) /

noun

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with cook

cook

In addition to the idioms beginning with cook

cook someone's goose
cook the books
cook up
cook with gas

also see:

chief cook and bottlewasher
short order (cook)
too many cooks spoil the broth
what's cooking

cook

Idioms about cook

Origin of cook

OTHER WORDS FROM cook

Words nearby cook

Other definitions for cook (2 of 3)

Origin of cook

Other definitions for cook (3 of 3)

Words related to cook

How to use cook in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for cook (1 of 3)

Derived forms of cook

Word Origin for cook

British Dictionary definitions for cook (2 of 3)

British Dictionary definitions for cook (3 of 3)

Other Idioms and Phrases with cook