Take The Cake

To take the cake, during the mid-1800s, originally meant to win a prize or a competition and thus bring home the honors. The honors may well have been an actual cake. However, the word cake had long been used symbolically to mean prize. While the idiom take the cake may still be used this way today, I personally have never heard it used this way, nor have I used it this way myself. Before I move on, keep in mind that this is but one of many English idioms I cover on this channel. I think you'll find that of all the idiom channels out there, this one takes the cake, so Meaning of the English Idiom Take the Cake When something takes the cake, it is a remarkable example of something negative or positive. It may describe something that is very surprising, annoying, foolish, etc. So to take the cake basically means to be the most outstanding example in some way, whether negative or positive. The idiom tends to be used more often in regards to something negative. Examples of Use We've had a lot of bad workers here but he really takes the cake. So you were late because you had to wait in line for the new iPhone. I've heard a lot of excuses, but that one takes the cake. There are some good restaurants around here, but the new Italian place takes the cake. They have a butter post halibut that will knock your socks off. I have to admit, your res Very impressive. Origin of Idiom The modern figurative use of this phrase dates from the 1880s. It may specifically be related to the cake walk, for which a cake was the prize. In English, when something is described as a cake walk, it is easy, similar to a piece of cake.