Definition

1. Noun:
   • The process or practice of preparing food by combining, mixing, and heating ingredients: "cooking" refers to the act of making food ready for eating, typically involving the application of heat through methods like boiling, baking, frying, or roasting.
   • The art, skill, or style of preparing food: "cooking" can also denote the particular methods, techniques, or cuisine associated with food preparation.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • She enjoys Italian cooking. (She enjoys the style of food preparation characteristic of Italy.)
  • The cooking of the chicken took an hour. (The process of applying heat to prepare the chicken took an hour.)
  • He is taking a class in basic cooking. (He is taking a class to learn fundamental food preparation skills.)

Advanced Usage

• "to do the cooking": to be responsible for preparing the meals.
  • In our house, my father usually does the cooking. (In our house, my father is usually the one who prepares the meals.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cook (verb): to prepare food for eating by using heat.
  • I will cook dinner tonight.
• Cook (noun): a person who prepares food for eating.
  • She is a talented cook.
• Cookery (noun): the practice or skill of preparing food; synonymous with "cooking".
  • He studied cookery at a famous school.

Synonyms

• Food preparation: the act of making food ready for consumption.
• Cuisine: a style or method of cooking, especially as characteristic of a particular country, region, or establishment.

Related Phrases

• Cooking up (phrasal verb): to invent or concoct something, often a story or plan.
  • He's always cooking up new schemes. (He is always inventing new plans.)
• What's cooking? (idiom): an informal way to ask what is happening or what is being planned.
  • Hey, what's cooking for the weekend? (Hey, what are the plans for the weekend?)

Noun

1. the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat
   • cooking can be a great art
   • people are needed who have experience in cookery
   • he left the preparation of meals to his wife