1 cake
Pronounced:
/ˈkeɪk/
Function:
nounInflected forms:
plural cakesMeaning:
1 : a sweet baked food made from a mixture of flour, sugar, and other ingredients (such as eggs and butter) [count] ▪ I made/baked three cakes for the party. ▪ He blew out the candles on his birthday cake. ▪ a wedding cake [noncount] ▪ a slice/piece of chocolate cake —often used before another noun ▪ (US) a cake pan = (Brit) a cake tin ▪ cake mix [=a combination of all the dry ingredients needed to make a cake] —see picture at baking; see also fruitcake, pound cake, sponge cake, tea cake, upside-down cake
2 [count] : a mixture of food that has been shaped into a ball or a flat round shape and baked or fried ▪ crab/clam/rice cakes ▪ potato cakes —see also fish cake, pancake
3 [count] : something that is shaped like a rectangular block ▪ a cake of soap = a soap cake
4 [noncount] US informal : something that is very easy to do ▪ That test was cake. —see also piece of cake
2 [count] : a mixture of food that has been shaped into a ball or a flat round shape and baked or fried ▪ crab/clam/rice cakes ▪ potato cakes —see also fish cake, pancake
3 [count] : something that is shaped like a rectangular block ▪ a cake of soap = a soap cake
4 [noncount] US informal : something that is very easy to do ▪ That test was cake. —see also piece of cake
a slice of the cake
Brit : a portion or share of something ▪ My business partner agreed to split the profits equally, but I know he wanted a bigger slice of the cake. [=piece/slice/share of the pie]
have your cake and eat it too (US) or Brit have your cake and eat it
: to have or enjoy the good parts of something without having or dealing with the bad parts ▪ They seem to think they can have their cake and eat it too by having excellent schools for their son without paying high taxes.
icing on the cake —see icing
take the cake
chiefly US : to win the prize in a contest —used to describe something that is extremely surprising, foolish, annoying, etc. ▪ You've done some silly things, but this one really takes the cake! [=(Brit) takes the biscuit] [=this is the silliest thing you have ever done]