Cook Up Strom Meaning

0
12676

Cook Up Strom Meaning

When you hear: “cook up a storm,” what is the image in your mind? A mad environment scientist in a laboratory, with beakers, microspores and equipment only a scientist knows how to use? Maybe one day in the future we can use this term in such a context.

However, now it has a very different meaning, although a bit of chemistry might be involved. It seems this phrase originated in the 20th century with other similar phrases li: dancing up a storm, talking up a storm, a storm is brewing.

Basically, there are many phrases that you can create using: (verb) + up a storm. What every verb you use, when you use ___ up a storm, it means to do something with a lot energy, possibly in great quantity and usually with a skill and expertise.Interestingly, the phrase has become more well known today, and there is even a popular Hong Kong cooking show called “Cooking up a storm.”

Meaning:

The use of cook up a storm is used to describe someone who really knows how to cook and does it with a lot of skill and enthusiasm.

  • My mom always cooks up a storm for Christmas dinner!
  • He is such a messy cook! However, he can really cook up a storm and when he is done and we eat, it is worth the mess!

Dialog:

Jill: Hey Jack. Just the person I am looking for!

Jack: Hey Jill, great to see you. Why are you looking for me?

Jill: Well I am having some people over and I wanted to ask you to come as well as for a favor.

Jack: I would love to come…but what’s the favor?

Jill: Well….I am not a good cook and I Jane told me you cooked for them last month and you can really cook up a storm.

Jack: Ha Ha. OK, sure.  But I have a favor to ask you in return.

Jill: Sure, you name it.

Jack: I have a dance party to go to and I can’t dance. I know you can really dance up a storm so can you teach me?

Jill: Absolutely! It’s a deal.

Other words you can create: noun, verb, adjective, adverb, etc. (ex: mug – mugger)

  • enthusiasm
  • madly
  • passion
  • energetically

Collocations:

Generally, for collocations we can use “up a storm” with many verbs.  Talk, Cook, Work, Dance, Think etc.

Related phrasal verbs:

Cooked something up

In the context of cooking up a storm we would use this to indicate cooking a meal quickly or in a short period of time.

  • Hi Mom, I have basketball practice in 45 minutes, can you cook something up for me so I can eat before I leave.

Cook up something

When we arrange the words in this order, it has a different meaning and not really related to cooking.  When we cook something up we are inventing something that is not real.

  • I don’t believe him, I think he cooked up a story so that he would not get fired.

Whip up

In the context of cook up a storm, we would use this to describe someone creating a meal very quickly and possibly with only a few ingredients.    

  • I am going to whip up a delicious meal for you, sit back and relax and enjoy your wine.

Chop up

We use this phrase to describe the process of cutting with vigor an ingredient for a preparing a meal.

  • She chopped up some veggies for dinner. She can really cook up a storm!

Related idioms:

A storm is brewing: We use this idiom to describe certain potential events that might cause a big problem.

A perfect storm: A combination of critical events that can cause critical problem.

Dance up a storm: This is an idiom to describe someone who dances extremely well and with passion and energy.

Talk up a storm: This idiom describes someone who loves to talk.

To grill someone: We use this idiom to describe a situation where someone is questioned intensely.

Synonyms (other ways to say):

  • With all your might
  • In a big way
  • With gusto
  • Like mad
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments