plural cooks
1
: a person who prepares food for eating
2
: a technical or industrial process comparable to cooking food
also
: a substance so processed
cooked; cooking; cooks
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.
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
5
informal
: to beat or score on (an opponent) decisively
Their defense got cooked.
… I would like to play against him [Michael Jordan]. … I would've cooked him, too.—Ja Morant, quoted at Sports Illustrated (online)
6
informal
: to criticize (someone) publicly and especially on social media
As for [Marlon] Humphrey, the social media reaction was so severe that he conceded, "I'm lowkey getting cooked right now."—Ron Dicker
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.
4
: to perform, do, or proceed well
The jazz quartet was cooking along.
The party cooked right through the night.
see also:
Cite this Entry
“Cook.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cook. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.
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