v. & n.
--v.
1. tr. prepare (food) by heating it.
2 intr. (of food) undergo cooking.
3 tr. colloq. falsify (accounts etc.); alter to produce a desired result.
4 tr. sl. ruin, spoil.
5 tr. (esp. as cooked adj.) Brit. sl. fatigue, exhaust.
6 tr. & intr. US colloq. do or proceed successfully.
7 intr. (as be cooking) colloq. be happening or about to happen (went to find out what was cooking).
--n. a person who cooks, esp. professionally or in a specified way (a good cook).
Phrases and idioms:
cook-chill
1. the process of cooking and refrigerating food ready for reheating at a later time.
2 (attrib.) (of food) prepared in this way. cook a person's goose ruin a person's chances. cook up colloq. invent or concoct (a story, excuse, etc.).
Derivatives:
cookable adj. & n.
Etymology: OE coc f. pop.L cocus for L coquus