a piece of cake
a piece of cake
Meaning
- very easy task
- something easily done
- very simple work
- effortlessly prepared or done
- simple job that can straightforwardly be accomplished
Example Sentences
- Don’t worry, Sophie – this job interview will be a piece of cake for you – you have all the skills they need and I think you’re absolutely the best candidate.
- They said the test would be difficult, but it was a piece of cake – I’ll pass with no problem at all.
- Don’t think that this term’s work will be a piece of cake – you’ll have to study hard to get good grades.
- Some parts of cooking are really difficult, but I found that making spaghetti Bolognese is a piece of cake.
- Giving Maria a make-over was a piece of cake, because she’s so naturally beautiful.
- I’ll have to work really hard for the theory part of the exam, but the practical part will be a piece of cake, because I’ve been practicing for so long.
Origin
It is believed that this phrase was invented in the 1870s during slavery in the southern states of America. As part of a dance or celebration organised by slave owners, black slaves would compete in ‘cake walks’, performing a dance which imitated and subtely mocked the elaborate and ostentatious gestures of the white slave owners. The most elegant couple/team would be given a cake as an award. It seems that the white slave owners didn’t understand that they were being mocked in these elaborate ‘cake walk’ dances, and took great delight in watching ‘their slaves’ emulating their ‘refined’ behavior. The piece of cake that was awarded as the prize to the best couple/team, came to be known among the blacks as something very easy to obtain. (A sort of underhand and hidden insult to unknowing white ruling class.)
Synonyms
- as easy as pie
- child’s play
- a snap
- a cinch
- a walk in the park
crack of dawn ❯❮ sell like hot cakes
11 Thoughts
I have group discussion tomorrow’s, my mam gave home work. I don’t know what is the meaning of this idiom “a piece of cake.”
- Bala September 14, 2021
Your definition about anything invented in the 1870s during slavery in the southern states of America loses a bit of credibility when one considers that the Civil war ended in 1865 and slavery had been pretty much abolished by the Emancipation proclamation in 1863.
As to the cakewalk part of your definition, that is somewhat more credible as a cakewalk as originally established was a contest in which pretty much anyone who wanted to keep playing won something eventually.
- Native American speaker (Late Boomer) March 27, 2020
Climbing up the Everest mountain ia not a piece of cake.
- Anonymous January 27, 2020
Solving the question paper was a piece of cake
- Anonymous January 9, 2020
Doing homework is not a piece of cake
- Tanisha Pawar January 21, 2019
A piece of cake flew around my room.
- A Potato November 15, 2018
My dog ate my homework because it was a piece of CAKE! Hahaha
- Sebastian November 15, 2018
Today, I ate a piece of cake.
- Anonymous November 10, 2018
Logging in to my computer is a piece of cake
- Bob October 17, 2018
I agree I took a test and it was real easy as cake.
- Brian April 23, 2018
Hi how is everyone I have a test its gonna be easy as cake.
- Anonymous November 8, 2017