cooke

cooked up

contrived. (This is hyphenated before a nominal.) The whole thing seems so cooked up. What a cooked-up story! Of course, you don't believe it.

See also: up

cooking with gas

doing [something] exactly right. That's great! Now you're cooking with gas! I knew she was finally cooking with gas when she answered all the questions correctly.

See also: gas

Now you're cooking (with gas)!

Inf. Fig. Now you are doing what you should be doing! As Bob came to the end of the piece, the piano teacher said, "Now you're cooking with gas!" Tom (painting a fence): How am I doing with this painting? Any better? Jane: Now you're cooking. Tom: Want to try it?

See also: now

one's goose is cooked

one is finished; one has been found out and is in trouble. It's over. His goose is cooked! If I get caught, my goose is cooked.

See also: goose

What's cooking?

Inf. What is happening?; How are you? Bob: Hi, Fred! What's cooking? Fred: How are you doing, Bob? Bob: Hi, Fred! What's cooking? Bill: Nothing. Anything happening with you?

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be cooked/done to a turn

to be cooked for exactly the right amount of time The beef was done to a turn.

See also: turn

be cooking on gas  (British informal) also be cooking with gas (American informal)

to be making good progress and to be likely to succeed We're cooking on gas. Keep the work coming in like this and we'll meet the deadline.

See also: gas

What's cooking?  (American old-fashioned)

something that you say in order to ask someone what is happening Hey, you guys, what's cooking? Are we going out for a drink or not?

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what's cooking (spoken)

what is happening? Hey, you guys, what's cooking? Is the party still on for tonight?