Select the most appropriate meaning of the given idiom.

Cook the books

To falsify financial records

The most appropriate meaning of the idiom "cook the books" is to falsify financial records.

The other options are incorrect.

• "To be a good writer" is not the same as cook the books. Cooking the books is an illegal activity, while being a good writer is not.
• "To write books on cooking" is not the same as cook the books. Writing books on cooking is a legitimate activity, while cooking the books is not.
• "To be a good editor" is not the same as cook the books. Editing books is a legitimate activity, while cooking the books is not.

The idiom "cook the books" comes from the idea of someone changing the numbers in financial records to make them look better than they actually are. This is a dishonest and illegal activity that can be used to deceive investors, creditors, and other stakeholders. For example, a company might cook the books to make it look like they are making more money than they actually are in order to attract investors.