# cook

/ˈkʊk/ (US) · /kˈʊk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cook
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to prepare food

verb · CEFR A1

to prepare food for eating by using heat.

For teachers: to prepare food for consumption by applying heat, typically through boiling, baking, or frying. Ambitransitive usage is standard.

- I usually cook dinner for my family after I get home from work.
- She preferred to cook with fresh, locally sourced ingredients rather than relying on pre-packaged convenience foods.

### 2. to be uncomfortably hot

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to feel very hot, usually because of the weather or a room with no air.

For teachers: to be subjected to or experience uncomfortably high temperatures. Figurative and typically intransitive.

- We were cooking in that small car because the air conditioning stopped working.
- The commuters were left to cook on the platform for forty minutes during the record-breaking heatwave.

### 3. to falsify or tamper

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to change facts or numbers dishonestly to make a situation look better than it is.

For teachers: to manipulate or falsify information, particularly financial records. Often appears in the phrase 'cook the books'.

- The manager was fired after the owners discovered he was trying to cook the books.
- The investigation revealed that the firm had been cooking its accounts for years to hide massive losses from its shareholders.

### 4. to perform with energy

verb · CEFR C2 · Slang

to do something, like playing music, with a lot of energy and skill.

For teachers: to perform or proceed with intense energy, rhythm, or excitement. Originally from jazz register.

- The band really started to cook during the second half of the show.
- Once the drummer found the pocket, the entire ensemble began to cook, delivering a performance that left the audience breathless.

### 6. person who prepares food

noun · CEFR A1

a person who prepares and cooks food as a job or for fun.

For teachers: a person who prepares food for eating. Unlike 'chef', this term does not necessarily imply professional training or a high rank in a kitchen.

- My brother is a great cook and always makes a special meal on Sundays.
- The restaurant hired a new short-order cook to handle the increased demand during the busy breakfast shift.

## Examples

- My father is a great cook who makes delicious pasta.
- The restaurant hired a new cook to handle the busy breakfast shift on weekends.
- Even a talented cook must master the fundamental techniques of heat management and seasoning before attempting the complex recipes found in haute cuisine.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.