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

Throughout the weekend, participants watched live demos from speakers and they were given time to cook up beats of their own.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2025

So grab some sleeves of Saltines or crank up your skillet to cook up some grilled cheeses, because this soup is unmissable.

From Salon ● Apr. 20, 2024

That he was gonna cook up a fancy supper for Mama with candles on the table and Willie Nelson on the radio and maybe she’d wear that red dress he loved so much.

From "Wish" by Barbara O'Connor

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