cook

1 of 2

noun

1
: a person who prepares food for eating
2
: a technical or industrial process comparable to cooking food
also : a substance so processed

cook

2 of 2

verb

cooked; cooking; cooks

transitive verb

1
: to prepare (food) for eating by a heating process
Cook the vegetables over low heat for 10 minutes.
The fish was cooked in a wine sauce.
He cooked dinner for his guests.
2
: concoct, fabricate
usually used with up
cooked up a scheme
3
: to alter (something, such as records) with the intention of deceiving or misleading : falsify, doctor
The point is that every country's numbers are the result of a specific set of testing and accounting regimes. Everyone is cooking the data, one way or another.Alexis C. Madrigal
see also cook the books
4
: to subject (something) to the action of heat or fire during preparation
Agents discovered a recipe for cooking meth at his lab …Andrew E. Serwer

intransitive verb

1
: to prepare food for eating especially by means of heat
We're too busy to cook tonight.
I enjoy cooking for friends.
2
: to undergo the action of being cooked
The rice is cooking now.
3
: occur, happen
She tried to find out what was cooking in the committee.
4
: to perform, do, or proceed well
The jazz quartet was cooking along.
The party cooked right through the night.
cookable adjective
Phrases
cook one's goose
: to make one's failure or ruin certain

Examples of cook in a Sentence

Noun the hearty meals prepared by the cook at summer camp Verb Cook the onions over low heat. She cooked a great meal. The fish was cooked in a white wine sauce. Carrots can be cooked, but they are often eaten raw. We're too busy to cook at home. He enjoys cooking on the weekends. The rice is still cooking, but it will be ready in 10 minutes. There's something cooking, but he won't say what.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
In This Article Change the Fat Add More Corn Use a Cast-Iron Skillet Mix Up Your Stir-Ins Break Out the Sugar Many Southern cooks enjoy making everything from scratch, from simple salad dressings to elaborate cakes to pans of hot cornbread. Patricia S York, Southern Living, 18 Oct. 2024 My drummer is a burger cook in a bar and delivers pizzas. Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 16 Oct. 2024
Verb
Continue cooking 30 minutes or until thermometer registers 275°F, stirring occasionally. Shelli McConnell, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2024 From kitchen to kitchen and cook to cook, there is no standard semblance of organization dedicated solely to food containers. Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 20 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cook 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cook.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English cōc, from Latin coquus, from coquere to cook; akin to Old English āfigen fried, Greek pessein to cook

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cook was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near cook

Cite this Entry

“Cook.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cook. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

cook

1 of 2 noun
: one who prepares food for eating

cook

2 of 2 verb
1
: to prepare food for eating especially by the use of heat
2
: to go through the process of being cooked
the rice is cooking now
3
a
: to think up
cook up a scheme
b
: to go on : happen
what's cooking
Etymology

Noun

Old English cōc "person who prepares food," from Latin coquus (same meaning), from coquere "to cook" — related to kitchen see Word History at kitchen

Biographical Definition

Cook

biographical name

James 1728–1779 English navigator and explorer

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