fry

Definition

To cook food in hot oil or fat. As a noun, it can also mean a very young fish or, informally, a small or unimportant person.

Usage & Nuances

Most commonly used as a cooking verb: 'fry an egg', 'deep-fry chicken', 'pan-fry fish'. In informal speech, 'My brain is fried' means mentally exhausted, and 'small fry' means unimportant people or children. Don't confuse it with 'bake' or 'roast', which use dry heat.

Example Sentences