Also, cook on the front burner. Do very well, make rapid progress. For example, The first half is finished already? Now you're cooking with gas, or Two promotions in two years—she's really cooking on the front burner! The first of these metaphoric phrases alludes to gas stoves, which began to replace slower wood-burning stoves about 1915. The variant, which alludes to something on a stove's front burner receiving more attention, is heard less often today. [Slang; 1940s] Also see back burner.