cook up

A noun or pronoun can be used between "cook" and "up."

1. Literally, to prepare food by cooking it. Are you hungry? I can cook something up for you. I think Dad's cooking up some hot dogs and hamburgers for dinner. No, you don't have to cook up anything for me—please don't go to any trouble.

2. To devise something. In this usage, the phrase often has a negative connotation. What ridiculous scheme has Sam cooked up now? I knew Rich was cooking up something nefarious, I just didn't realize it involved stealing money from his clients! What are you boys whispering about back there? You better not be cooking up any mischief!

3. To plan to do something with someone. Have you been able to cook anything up with the boss yet? We really need to meet about this issue soon. Good luck cooking something up with Patty—her schedule is always chock-full. I would love to talk about this more, so cook something up with my assistant and get on my calendar.

See also: cook, up

grand scheme

The complete, coherent, long-term scope of something. Typically used in the phrase "in the grand scheme of things." I know you're worried about getting a bad grade on this test, but you're such a great student that I doubt it will matter in the grand scheme of things. The little side stories are amusing, but they don't really connect to the grand scheme of the series as a whole. Such hasty, reckless decisions make it clear that you're not thinking about the grand scheme.

harebrained scheme

cliché Some plan or plot that is or seems laughably foolish, absurd, or unrealistic. A: "Hey, Paul, listen to this! I've got a great idea to get rich!" B: "Here we go again, another one of your harebrained schemes!" Am I going crazy here, or has everyone else just lost their minds? Because this is the most harebrained scheme I've ever heard. Only a fool would get sucked into one of Richard's harebrained schemes.

in the (grand) scheme of things

In the long term; in the complete picture of something. I know you're worried about getting a bad grade on this test, but you're such a great student that I doubt it will matter in the grand scheme of things. The little side stories are amusing, but they don't really connect to the grand scheme of the series as a whole. Such hasty, reckless decisions will doom you in the grand scheme of things.

See also: of, scheme, thing

in the great scheme of things

In the long term; in the complete picture of something. I know you're worried about getting a bad grade on this test, but you're such a great student that I doubt it will matter in the great scheme of things. The little side stories are amusing, but they don't really connect to the great scheme of the series as a whole. Such hasty, reckless decisions will doom you in the great scheme of things.

Ponzi scheme

An investment operation in which money from new participants, rather than profit, is used to pay existing participants. When there is not enough incoming money to make payments, the scheme fails. Named for Charles Ponzi, who tried to carry out such schemes. That sounds like a Ponzi scheme to me. Get out now before you lose all the money you've invested! In 2008, US investor Bernie Madoff was revealed to have been running a decades-long Ponzi scheme that defrauded people of billions of dollars.

See also: scheme

pyramid scheme

1. An investment operation in which each new investor must recruit new investors, who, in turn, recruit new investors, and so on, with each new investor required to pay in order to join. The older investors (the small number of people at the top of the "pyramid") are the only ones in the operation who make significant money. You know these get-rich-quick schemes are usually just pyramid schemes, right? And that most people lose all the money they invest? It sounds like this company is running a pyramid scheme, and you know who are the only people to make any real money in pyramid schemes? The people at the top.

2. An investment operation in which money from new participants, rather than profit, is used to pay existing participants. When there is not enough incoming money to make payments, the scheme fails. Also called a "Ponzi scheme." That sounds like a pyramid scheme to me. Get out now before you lose all the money you've invested! In 2008, US investor Bernie Madoff was revealed to have been running a decades-long pyramid scheme that defrauded people of tens of billions of dollars.

See also: scheme

scheme against (someone or something)

To form or contrive a secret or devious plan or conspiracy in order to oppose, overthrow, or undermine someone or something; to plot against someone or something. A group of lower-level executives have been scheming against the CEO in a bid to wrest control of the company away from him. It turns out that they had been scheming against the alliance since the day it was formed.

See also: scheme

scheme for (something)

To form or contrive a secret or devious plan or conspiracy in order to obtain, achieve, or accomplish something. We spent the afternoon scheming for a way to get into the elite Hollywood party so we could meet some celebrities. I heard that he's been scheming for a new computer that he could charge to the company accounts.

the best-laid plans

proverb Said when something ends poorly or differently than expected, despite preparations for success. It is an abbreviated version of the full proverb "the best-laid plans of mice and men oft go astray." I always thought our marriage was stable and that we'd be together forever. I guess it's true what they say, though, the best-laid plans and all that. A: "I've been working on this project for six months, and now, right before it's due, they tell me they want something completely different." B: "That's rough. The best-laid plans, I suppose."

the best-laid schemes

proverb Said when something ends poorly or differently than expected, despite preparations for success. It is an abbreviated version of the line, "The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft a-gley" (go astray), from Robert Burns' poem "To a Mouse," which itself is a play on the proverb "the best-laid plans of mice and men oft go astray." I always thought our marriage was stable and that we'd be together forever. I guess it's true what they say, though, the best-laid schemes and all that. A: "I've been working on this project for six months, and now, right before it's due, they tell me they want something completely different." B: "That's rough. The best-laid schemes, I suppose."

See also: scheme

the best-laid schemes go astray

proverb Said when things that are well prepared for or seem certain end poorly or differently from how one intends. It is an abbreviated version of the line, "The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft a-gley" (go astray), from Robert Burns' poem "To a Mouse," which itself is a play on the proverb "the best-laid plans of mice and men oft go astray." I always thought our marriage was stable and that we'd be together forever. I guess it's true what they say, though, even the best-laid schemes go astray. A: "I've been working on this project for six months, and now, right before it's due, they tell me they want something completely different." B: "That's rough. Even the best-laid schemes go astray, I suppose."

the best-laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft a-gley

proverb Said when something ends poorly or differently than expected, despite preparations for success. It comes from Robert Burns' poem "To a Mouse," which itself is a play on the proverb "the best-laid plans of mice and men oft go astray." ("Gang aft a-gley" means "go oft astray" in Scottish vernacular.) I always thought our marriage was stable and that we'd be together forever. I guess it's true what they say, though—the best-laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft a-gley. A: "I've been working on this project for six months, and now, right before it's due, they tell me they want something completely different." B: "That's rough. The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft a-gley, I suppose."

the best-laid schemes of mice and men

proverb Said when something ends poorly or differently than expected, despite preparations for success. It is an abbreviated version of the line, "The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft a-gley" (go astray), from Robert Burns' poem "To a Mouse," which itself is a play on the proverb "the best-laid plans of mice and men oft go astray." I always thought our marriage was stable and that we'd be together forever. I guess it's true what they say, though, the best-laid schemes of mice and men and all that. A: "I've been working on this project for six months, and now, right before it's due, they tell me they want something completely different." B: "That's rough. The best-laid schemes of mice and men, I suppose."

best-laid plans of mice and men oft(en) go astray,

and best-laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft a-gley.

Prov. Things often go wrong even though you have carefully planned what you are going to do. (The gang aft a-gley version is Scots dialect, and comes from Robert Burns' poem "To a Mouse.") Jill: I reserved a hotel room for us three weeks ago, but now the clerk says he has no record of our reservation. So much for our fun weekend in the city. Jane: Well, these things happen. The best-laid plans of mice and men oft go astray. I had all the arrangements made for my party, and then the guest of honor got sick and I had to call the whole thing off. The best-laid schemes of mice and men gang aft a-gley. If a little rain can ruin the best-laid plans of mice and men, think what an earthquake might do!

See also: and, astray, go, men, mice, of, oft, plan

cook something up (with someone)

Fig. to arrange or plan to do something with someone. (The something is usually the word something. See also cook something up.) I tried to cook something up with Karen for Tuesday. I want to cook up something with John. Let's see if we can cook something up.

See also: cook, up

cook something up (with someone)

Fig. to arrange or plan to do something with someone. (The something is usually the word something. See also cook something up.) I tried to cook something up with Karen for Tuesday. I want to cook up something with John. Let's see if we can cook something up.

See also: cook, up

scheme against someone or something

to plot or conspire against someone or something. A group of generals was plotting against the government. They schemed against the king until he caught them and put an end to it.

See also: scheme

scheme for something

to plot and plan for something, perhaps using deception. She is scheming for a raise. Ted is always scheming for a way to miss work.

best-laid plans go astray, the

Also, the best-laid schemes go astray. Even very careful designs or projects do not always succeed. For example, Mary spent all afternoon preparing this elaborate dish but forgot the most important ingredient-oh well, the best-laid plans go astray . This particular turn of phrase comes from Robert Burns's poem "To a Mouse" (1786): "The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft a-gley [go often astray]." It is so well known that it is often abbreviated to the best-laid plans.

cook up

Fabricate, concoct, as in She's always cooking up some excuse. [Colloquial; mid-1700s]

See also: cook, up

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

in the scheme of things

COMMON People use in the scheme of things to describe how important one thing is when compared to everything else in a situation or how one thing relates to the other things in a situation. These aches and pains are annoying, but not very serious in the scheme of things. To enter into the adult world, we must have an understanding of our place in the scheme of things. Note: People often put words such as greater, grand or whole before scheme with the same meaning. In the grand scheme of things, Hertz was a small player.

See also: of, scheme, thing

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

the scheme of things

the organization of things in general; the way the world is.

See also: of, scheme, thing

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

the/somebody’s ˈscheme of things

the way the world and other things are or seem to be organized: Low-paid workers like us don’t have a very important place in the scheme of things. ♢ Don’t worry too much about your exam results; they’re not really important in the great scheme of things.

See also: of, scheme, thing

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

cook up

1. To prepare some food: We cooked up a pizza for dinner. I cooked hamburgers up on the grill.

2. Slang To fabricate or concoct something; make up something: Don't cook up an excuse just because you're late. The suspect cooked up an alibi at the last minute.

See also: cook, up

best-laid schemes/plans, the

The most careful plans sometimes do not succeed. It was probably already a cliché by the time Robert Burns used the phrase in “To a Mouse” (1786): “The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men gang aft a-gley [go often astray].”

See also: scheme

See also:

References in periodicals archive

03 issued by the Federal Board of investment (FBR) saying that prior to the Finance Act, 2018 the dividend received by a company from a collective investment scheme, a REIT scheme or a mutual fund (except a stock fund) was subjected to tax at 25 percent for the tax year 201 5 onwards under section 5 of the Income Tax Ordinance, 2001.

Return filers to get 15-25 pc tax rebate

Furthermore, establishing robust governance and risk management structures is an integral part of CDC adoption, given how much flexibility and risk-taking is implied in a scheme.

Fitch: Larger Institutions More Likely to Adopt Hybrid Pensions

These, he said were the BDF Welfare Trust Fund and the BDF Bank Loans Scheme; explain that under the BDF Welfare Trust Fund members could borrow amounts up to a maximum of P45 000, whereas under the BDF Bank Loans Scheme they could benefit from non-guaranteed loans from commercial loans.

Soldiers can access financial schemes to build houses

Now the caretaker setup has announced another tax amnesty scheme. Under the scheme fixed assets would incur a three per cent penalty, to be evaluated at the market value of the asset, which cannot be less than the cost of its acquisition.

Whitening the black money

The current defined benefit scheme, which has 17,000 members, was PS2.8bn in deficit at its last valuation in 2015.

BA to close its pension scheme; UK BULLETINS

The main difference between a defined benefit scheme and a defined contribution scheme is in the way benefits are paid.

Don't take it personal; THE MONEY DOCTOR with Fergus Muirhead PSWhy you can't cash in your council pension under the new rules

In the meantime, you may wish to consider the following points: If you have the opportunity to join your new employers scheme, then that is normally the right thing to do.

YOUR MONEY; YOUR MONEY Your money queries are answered by Trevor Clark, Director of Rutherford Wilkinson Ltd, Chartered Financial Planners

The Trustee believes that all members of the Scheme and their benefits under it have been identified and member announcements have been sent to all members for whom the Scheme holds an address.

Public Notices

PESHAWAR -- A meeting of the Provincial Development Working Party's (PDWP) held under the chairmanship of Additional Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Peshawar has approved 37 schemes with an estimated cost about Rs.

37 development schemes approved in KP

- a proposal for Sundance Energy Australia Limited (ASX:SEA) to acquire by scheme of arrangement, after the implementation of the Demerger Scheme, all Texon shares (and thereby acquire Texon's EFS assets) in return for one new Sundance share for every two Texon Shares held at the record date (Acquisition Scheme).

Texon Petroleum Limited (ASX:TXN) Demerger and Acquisition Scheme Proposals - Release of Scheme Documents

On 20 August 2019, the Supreme Court of Western Australia approved the dispatch of the Company's Scheme Booklet ('Scheme Booklet') and has ordered that the Company convene a meeting ('Scheme Meeting') of its shareholders to consider and, if thought fit, approve the Scheme.

MOD Resources Ltd - Progress Update on the Proposed Sandfire Transaction

RAWALPINDI -- The directorate, Metropolitan Planning and Traffic Engineering (MP and TE) Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) on the directive of Chairman RDA Muhammad Arif Abbasi on Sunday conducted operation against illegal housing schemes at Chakri and Dhamial roads and demolished a site office, sealed four site offices while the sign boards were removed and development of work of the housing schemes were also demolished.

RDA's operation against illegal housing schemes; four site offices sealed, a demolished

The housing schemes deemed illegal are the Commander Housing Scheme in Mouza Tumair and Baber Enclave in Mouza Mohrra Noor in Banigala.

CDA declares two housing schemes illegal

ISLAMABAD -- FBR Chairman Shabbar Zaidi on Saturday said that the government is not extending the tax amnesty scheme, which is expiring today (Sunday).

Tax amnesty scheme expires today!