cook up

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cook up

He decided to cook up a story to explain his lateness.

Definition
  1. Verb (transitive):
    • To fabricate or invent (something false or misleading): To create a story, excuse, or plan that is not true or not based on fact.
    • To prepare (a meal or dish) by combining and heating ingredients: To make food ready for eating by the process of cooking.
Usage and Examples

  • Meaning 1: To fabricate or invent:

    • The children cooked up a fantastic story to explain the broken vase.
    • Politicians are often accused of cooking up statistics to support their arguments.

  • Meaning 2: To prepare food:

    • Let's cook up some pasta for dinner.
    • She can cook up a delicious meal from just a few basic ingredients.
Advanced Usage and Nuances
  • "to cook up a scheme/plot": To devise a clever, often secret or dishonest, plan.
    • The thieves cooked up a scheme to rob the bank.
  • "to cook up trouble": To cause problems or create a difficult situation, often intentionally.
    • He's always cooking up trouble between his friends.
Variants and Related Words
  • Concoct (verb): Similar to "cook up," meaning to invent a story or prepare a dish by mixing various ingredients.
  • Fabricate (verb): To invent or create something, typically with deceitful intent (closer to the first meaning of "cook up").
  • Whip up (phrasal verb): To prepare food or a meal quickly; can also mean to excite or stir up feelings.
Synonyms
  • Invent, devise, make up, hatch (for the "fabricate" meaning).
  • Prepare, make, fix (for the "prepare food" meaning).
Related Phrasal Verbs / Constructions
  • Cook the books (idiom): To falsify financial records. (Note: This is a related idiom, not a variant of "cook up").
    • The accountant was fired for cooking the books.
  • Cook off (phrasal verb): An event where people compete to prepare the best food.
Related Idioms
  • Too many cooks spoil the broth: A saying meaning that if too many people are involved in a task, it will not be done well.
  • What's cooking?: An informal greeting meaning "What's happening?" or "What's going on?"
cook up

He decided to cook up a story to explain his lateness.

Verb
  1. make up something artificial or untrue
  2. prepare or cook by mixing ingredients
    • concoct a strange mixture

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