to prepare food by heating it, for example by boiling, baking or frying it
Where did you learn to cook?
Add the onion and cook for three minutes.
cook something to cook a meal
to cook food/dinner
What's the best way to cook trout?
(especially British English) I always have a cooked breakfast (= consisting of cooked food)
cook something for somebody He cooked lunch for me.
cook somebody something He cooked me lunch.
to be prepared by boiling, baking, frying, etc.
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce.
Turn the fish over so that it cooks evenly.
to be planned secretly
Everyone is being very secretive—there's something cooking.
to be doing something very well and successfully
to change facts or figures dishonestly or illegally
His accountant had been cooking the books for years.
Someone was cooking the books.
to destroy somebody’s chances of success
a person who cooks food or whose job is cooking
John is a very good cook (= he cooks well).
Who was the cook (= who cooked the food)?
She was employed as a cook in a hotel.
if too many people are involved in doing something, it will not be done well
