cuire

Senses

1. 1.

   to cook

   to prepare food by applying heat

2. 2.

   to bake

   to cook in an oven, especially for bread or pastry

3. 3.

   to burn; to sting

   to cause a burning or stinging sensation (literal or figurative)

Examples

• "Je dois cuire les pâtes pendant dix minutes."

  I need to cook the pasta for ten minutes.

• "Elle a cuisiné un gâteau à cuire au four."

  She prepared a cake to bake in the oven.

• "Cette sauce me cuit la gorge."

  This sauce burns my throat.

Usage

A core French verb with broad culinary uses. Note that *cuisiner* (to cook in the sense of preparing meals) is more commonly used for general cooking, whereas *cuire* emphasizes the heat process itself (boiling, baking, roasting). The past participle *cuit* is used as an adjective: *bien cuit* (well-done), *à point* (medium).