ENGLISH
REFERENCE

cooking

n. uncountable
A1 Beginner Oxford US //ˈkʊkɪŋ// UK //kˈʊkɪŋ// cook·ing Archaic General-service Informal

n. the activity of preparing food by using heat. It can also mean a specific style of food from a certain place.

n. the practice or skill of preparing food by applying heat. It also refers to a particular style or tradition of food preparation.


SIMPLE

I really enjoy cooking for my friends on weekends.

CONTEXTUAL

The restaurant is famous for its traditional Italian cooking and fresh ingredients.

COMPLEX

While some view cooking as a daily chore, others find it to be a creative outlet that allows for endless experimentation with flavors and textures.

Synonyms
Origin

From cook + -ing. The noun and adjective follow from the verb. The use of the word cooking to describe cheap bitter was popularized by the title character of the BBC sitcom Oh No, It’s Selwyn Froggitt (1974-1978). It refers to cooking sherry, a kind of sherry used in cooking but not suitable for drinking on its own.

Usage

Typically functions as an uncountable noun when referring to the activity or style; rarely used in the plural.

Pitfall

I like the cookings of my motherI like my mother's cookingCooking is uncountable when referring to a person's style of food preparation and should not be pluralized.

Idioms3 entries

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