Phrase guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
phrase
Functioning particularly effectively; achieving something substantial.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: idiomatic, informal
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
phrase
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see cook, with, gas.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
To cook with natural gas fuel has been occurring since at least the 19th century when the petroleum industry came into being and new products and markets were developed. The idiomatic phrase entered the popular lexicon as part of an advertising slogan in late 1930s or early 1940s, for American Gas Association. The slogan "Now you're cooking with gas!" was coined by Deke Houlgate, an employee of AGA, who worked with Bob Hope to insert the phrase into his comedy routines as subtle product placement. The initial idea was to compete with the increasing popularity of electric stoves in the 1930s. However by 1940 it came to have a broader idiomatic usage and figurative meaning because of the way it was used by Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Jack Benny and even a Daffy Duck cartoon, eclipsing its original intent as advertising. The slogan was repeated throughout the 1941-1942 radio season by many radio stars. Also used by jazz musicians to praise a performance.
