What Does "Eat One's Cake and Have It Too" Mean?
"Eat one's cake and have it too" is an English idiom. It means "to want more than one can handle or deserve; to try to have two incompatible things."Examples in Sentences
Here are three examples of the idiom "eat one's cake and have it too" used in a sentence:- She wants to eat her cake and have it too, taking a full vacation but not using any vacation days.
- You can't have the benefits without the responsibilities. You can't eat your cake and have it too.
- He wants all the perks of the job without any of the hard work. Always trying to eat his cake and have it too.
What Is an Idiom?
An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Eat One's Cake and Have It Too" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.
A Quick Test
You now know what "eat one's cake and have it too" means, but are you good at English idioms? Let's see!
Gold
Silver
Bronze
- This test has questions.
- A correct answer is worth 5 points.
- You can get up to 5 bonus points for a speedy answer.
- Some questions demand more than one answer. You must get every part right.
- Beware! Wrong answers score 0 points.
- 🏆 If you beat one of the top 3 scores, you will be invited to apply for the Hall of Fame.
Scoring System
Guru (+)
Hero (+)
Captain (+)
Sergeant (+)
Recruit (+)
Guru (+)
Hero (+)
Captain (+)
Sergeant (+)
Recruit (+)
- Do you disagree with something on this page?
- Did you spot a typo?
