1 B2 idiomatic informal
To prepare a meal or snack quickly, especially with whatever ingredients are available
"Give me ten minutes and I'll rustle up some pasta with whatever's in the fridge."
separable
rustle up
B2 informal separable transitive
To prepare or find something quickly, often with limited resources; commonly used for food
In plain English
To quickly make something to eat, or to find or organise something fast, usually with whatever you have available
What does "rustle up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic informal
To gather, find, or organise something or someone quickly
"Can you rustle up a few volunteers for the event this weekend?"
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To rustle (make a soft sound while moving quickly) and bring something up — the idiom comes from cattle rustling (stealing livestock) extended to quick improvisation
Actually means
To quickly make something to eat, or to find or organise something fast, usually with whatever you have available
Usage tip
Strongly associated with food preparation in informal British English. The image is of a cowboy rustling up a meal at a campfire. Also used for quickly organising people or support.
Words that pair with "rustle up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
meal food dinner volunteers support snack
How to conjugate "rustle up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
rustle up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
rustles up
he/she/it
Past simple
rustled up
yesterday
Past participle
rustled up
have + pp
-ing form
rustling up
continuous
Hear "rustle up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "rustle up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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