cook
1to prepare (food) by the use of heat, as by boiling, baking, or roasting.
to subject (anything) to the application of heat.
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.
a person who cooks: The restaurant hired a new cook.
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.
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
1Other words from cook
- cook·a·ble, adjective
- cookless, adjective
- un·cook·a·ble, adjective
Words Nearby cook
Other definitions for cook (2 of 3)
to hide, especially outdoors, as by crouching down behind a hedge.
Origin of cook
2Other definitions for Cook (3 of 3)
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. 2024
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 PostMirsani’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 PostColleagues 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 | DigidayPortland’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 | EaterSome 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 | THE DAILY BEASTContinue to cook until the sauce has reduced by three quarters.
Make Carla Hall’s Roasted Pork Loin With Cranberries | Carla Hall | December 24, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTIn 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 | THE 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 | THE DAILY BEASTAn 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 | THE DAILY BEASTShe did not need a great cook-book; She knew how much and what it took To make things good and sweet and light.
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. SinclairIt 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 WillsThe 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 WillsThey 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)
/ (kʊk) /
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: Related adjective: culinary
to subject or be subjected to the action of intense heat: the 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 vigorously: the band was cooking
cook someone's goose informal
to spoil a person's plans
to bring about someone's ruin, downfall, etc
a person who prepares food for eating, esp as an occupation
Origin of cook
1- See also cook up
Derived forms of cook
- cookable, adjective
- cooking, noun
British Dictionary definitions for Cook (2 of 3)
/ (kʊk) /
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)
/ (kʊk) /
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
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
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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