concoctcon‧coct /kənˈkɒkt $ -ˈkɑːkt/ verb [transitive] 
John concocted an elaborate excuse for being late.2to make something, especially food or drink, by mixing different things, especially things that are not usually combined: Jean concocted a great meal from the leftovers.
WORD ORIGINconcoct
Origin:
1500-1600 Latin past participle of concoquere ‘to cook together’, from com- ( ➔ COM-) + coquere ‘to cook’VERB TABLE
concoct
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | concoct |
| he, she, it | concocts | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | concocted |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have concocted |
| he, she, it | has concocted | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had concocted |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will concoct |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have concocted |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am concocting |
| he, she, it | is concocting | |
| you, we, they | are concocting | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was concocting |
| you, we, they | were concocting | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been concocting |
| he, she, it | has been concocting | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been concocting |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be concocting |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been concocting |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Debbie started the business by concocting recipes in her kitchen.
- For the party, they had concocted a special cocktail containing, among other things, rum and vodka.
- Lawyers claim that she's a nut who's concocted a story of date rape.
- Whenever I had a cold, my grandmother would concoct a remedy out of herbs, ginger, lemons and garlic.
- But Merseyside and Manchester both proved last week that it is possible to concoct high drama without substituting motivation for mutilation.
- If visitors ask him how he concocted the maze, he tells them straight-faced that he relied upon GPSthe Global Positioning System.
- In medieval times, professional perfumers would concoct personal scents for their clients from six to eight special ingredients.
- Many thanks for concocting a circular for's Edinburgh week-end.
- Most of us were pie-eyed drunk from the boilermakers Doy had been concocting out of palm spirits and San Miguel.
Longman Language Activatorto cook something
to prepare food or a meal by heating it, boiling it, frying it etc: · I'm just too tired to cook after work.· Prick the potatoes with a fork before cooking them.cook lunch/supper/a meal etc: · I usually cook a big meal on Sundays.cook (something) for somebody (=cook a meal for someone): · The last time she cooked a meal for us we really enjoyed it.
to make a meal or dish or type of food, either by cooking it or by preparing it in some other way: · My mother used to make delicious strawberry jam.· I think I'll make fish pie for supper.· I'll make the salad if you'll make the pasta.make lunch/dinner/supper etc: · When I got home, Martin was in the kitchen making lunch.make somebody something: · I'll make you some sandwiches to take with you.
especially British, spoken to cook or prepare a meal: · Sit down and let me get dinner.· Joey was downstairs getting the kids their breakfast.
especially American to make a meal or dish - use this about meals you make quickly, not about big, formal meals: fix breakfast/lunch/dinner etc: · I have to fix lunch now.fix somebody something: · If you're hungry, I can fix you some scrambled eggs.
to make a meal quickly using whatever food you have available: · She managed to rustle up a delicious meal with just a little salad and some eggs.rustle something up: · "I don't think there's any food in the house.'' "Don't worry, I'm sure we can rustle something up.''
written to make a meal, especially something that needs time, effort, or skill: · Prepare a vinaigrette dressing with olive oil, white wine vinegar, and mustard.· Some French dishes take hours to prepare.· Mrs Fujimoto prepared a delicious meal for them.
spoken informal to make a particular kind of food: do something: · I was thinking of doing fish tonight.do somebody something: · I could do you an omelette.
to make an unusual or unpleasant drink, dish, or medicine, by mixing together several different things: concoct something: · For the party, they had concocted a special cocktail containing, among other things, rum and vodka.concoct something out of: · Whenever I had a cold, my grandmother would concoct a remedy out of herbs, ginger, lemons and garlic.
to make a drink by mixing two or more liquids or substances together: · If they sell cocktails would you ask the bartender to mix a Harvey Wallbanger?· You can leave the meal cooking while you mix a drink for your guests.
: put the dinner/potatoes/vegetables etc on to start cooking something: · Can we put the dinner on? I'm starved.· They'll be here soon. You'd better put the steaks on.
if food is on , it is being cooked: · The soup is on, so dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes.· Okay, the chicken is on. What can I do now?
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY John concocted an elaborate excuse for being late.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN
1to invent a clever story, excuse, or plan, especially in order to deceive someone: John concocted an elaborate excuse for being late.· Should she concoct some story about him having a violently contagious disease?· The image of Citrona as fascinating and repellant at once seems to be what most interested Cruz in concocting this story.
John concocted an elaborate excuse for being late.2to make something, especially food or drink, by mixing different things, especially things that are not usually combined: Jean concocted a great meal from the leftovers.