cook up

British  

verb

1. informal to concoct or invent (a story, alibi, etc)

2. to prepare (a meal), esp quickly

3. slang to prepare (a drug) for use by heating, as by dissolving heroin in a spoon

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noun

1. (in the Caribbean) a dish consisting of mixed meats, rice, shrimps, and sometimes vegetables

cook up Idioms  

1. Fabricate, concoct, as in She's always cooking up some excuse. [Colloquial; mid-1700s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cook up

With 275 acres of land around a freshly remodeled Hard Rock Stadium, he had spent years trying to cook up ways to develop more events on his site.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026

To do so, I stay away from bistros in fancy neighborhoods, which charge too much and often cook up mediocre food.

From Barron's ● Mar. 8, 2026

“They asked us if we could cook up a solution that would address that need,” said John Rogers, who leads the engineering team.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2025

The four-week partnership, which was announced alongside the book’s release, allows fans to cook up several recipes, including Fried Chicken & Gravy, Sirloin Steak with Blue Cheese Butter, Country Fried Trout and more.

From Salon ● Oct. 8, 2024

He tried to cook up a good excuse for being there, in case Lonna or Leon noticed him.

From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen