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Cake Idioms

2 min read
by
21 December 2020
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Cake is very popular dessert food in English speaking countries. There are many varieties and it's eaten at many types of celebrations, from birthdays to Christmas to weddings. Cake is so well-loved that it is even used in several English language idioms! Read through some of the cake idioms below and see how many you already know:

 

1. To take the cake

Meaning: To be especially good or bad, but usually used more in the negative sense.

Example: "I've seen bad movies, but this takes the cake!"

 

2. Piece of cake

Meaning: something that is very easy.

Example: "Our English homework yesterday was a piece of cake!"

 

3. Icing the cake

Meaning: something good that is added to something that is already good.

Example: "She was happy to meet George Clooney, but getting a photo with him was icing on the cake."

 

students eating cake in a coffee shop

 

4. Have your cake and eat it too

Meaning: to have two things that you cannot have at the same time, for example, to still have a piece of cake after eating it.

Example: "You have to either use the money to buy a new television or fix your car. You can't have your cake and eat it too."

 

5. Cakewalk

Meaning: something that is very easy to do.

Example: "Last night's homework was a cakewalk!"

 

6. Tough cookie

Meaning: A very determined person

Example: "Robert ran the race even though he was injured. He is a real tough cookie!"

 

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Can you think of any other cake idioms? Is there any food in your language that shows up in many idioms?

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