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

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

Perhaps this is because religion doesn’t seem to be among the ingredients that contemporary Victor Frankensteins are using to cook up and refine their creations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 9, 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

Yes — the same air fryer that turns leftovers into delights and makes the crispiest wings you've ever had at home — can also cook up a truly fantastic steak.

From Salon ● Feb. 21, 2025

"I've got to run over and pick up Mom. Then we'll be back and we can talk, and then maybe cook up some supper together, okay?"

From "Things Not Seen" by Andrew Clements