One app for all your study abroad needs
The widely known phrase, ‘A piece of cake’ simply means something that is easily accomplished. Subsequently, this phrase is used in multiple scenarios across the literature and common communication to talk about tasks that are easy.
In the 1930s Royal Air Force originated the use of the idiom piece of cake to talk about an easy mission. Indeed, the idea to use this phrase was metaphorically related to the task of swallowing a piece of sweet and soft dessert.
Some people also believe that the phrase originated from the easy-to-win competitions that were organised in the 1870s. As a reward, the jury distributed cakes at these competitions and hence came the relevance.
This Blog Includes:
Also Read: Jump the Gun Meaning, Examples, Synonyms
A Piece of Cake Meaning, Origin, and Usage with Examples
In literature, this idiom can also be used to demonstrate a person’s overconfidence over a task. It can also be used to highlight the foolhardiness of a pompous or brainless person. The usage of the word has been widespread. Also, it is a piece of cake to use the idiom, ‘A piece of cake’.
A famous poet Frederic Ogden Nash used this idiom in printed form for the first time ever. In his work called Primrose Path, published in 1936, he wrote:
“Her picture’s in the papers now, and life’s a piece of cake”
This was the first recorded use of this widely used idiom. Besides, given below are some common examples of the usage of the idiom, ‘A piece of cake’.
- It took him so long to solve a question which was a piece of cake.
- She is arrogant, talking to her is no piece of cake.
- Hacking into that computer system was a piece of cake for him.
Also Read: Useful Idioms with Examples, Sentences and Meanings
Synonyms and Similar Words A Piece of Cake
Here are some words and phrases that mean the same as A Piece of Cake:
- Child’s play
- Five finger exercise
- Kid’s stuff
- Cakewalk
- Pushover
- Duck soup
- Walkover
- A piece of old tackie
A Piece of Cake Meaning Quiz
Here are 10 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) on the idiom “A Piece of Cake”, along with their answers:
01. What does the idiom “A Piece of Cake” mean?
a) Something very difficult
b) Something very easy
c) Something very expensive
d) Something very confusing
Answer: b) Something very easy
02. Which sentence correctly uses “A Piece of Cake”?
a) Climbing Mount Everest was a piece of cake for me.
b) The test was so difficult; it was a piece of cake!
c) Solving this simple math problem is a piece of cake.
d) She baked a piece of cake for my birthday.
Answer: c) Solving this simple math problem is a piece of cake.
03. The idiom “A Piece of Cake” is most similar in meaning to:
a) A walk in the park
b) A hard nut to crack
c) Bite off more than you can chew
d) Burn the midnight oil
Answer: a) A walk in the park
04. Which situation best describes “A Piece of Cake”?
a) Learning a new language in one day
b) Running a marathon for the first time
c) Solving a puzzle you have done many times before
d) Writing a 10,000-word research paper overnight
Answer: c) Solving a puzzle you have done many times before
05. Identify the incorrect use of “A Piece of Cake”:
a) The driving test was easy; it was a piece of cake.
b) Playing the piano is a piece of cake after years of practice.
c) Climbing the highest mountain in the world was a piece of cake.
d) Cooking instant noodles is a piece of cake.
Answer: c) Climbing the highest mountain in the world was a piece of cake.
06. If a person says, “The exam was a piece of cake,” what do they mean?
a) The exam was very tough.
b) The exam was very easy.
c) The exam was full of questions about cake.
d) The exam had no questions at all.
Answer: b) The exam was very easy.
07. Choose the synonym for “A Piece of Cake”:
a) Hard as a rock
b) Easy as pie
c) Tough as nails
d) Break a leg
Answer: b) Easy as pie
08. In which of the following professions would “A Piece of Cake” be used sarcastically?
a) A professional chef baking a cake
b) A student solving a basic math problem
c) A doctor performing a complex brain surgery
d) A child riding a bicycle after learning it
Answer: c) A doctor performing a complex brain surgery
09. Which of these idioms is opposite in meaning to “A Piece of Cake”?
a) As easy as ABC
b) As smooth as silk
c) A tough nut to crack
d) A bed of roses
Answer: c) A tough nut to crack
10. Where did the idiom “A Piece of Cake” originate from?
a) Ancient Greek mythology
b) British Royal Navy traditions
c) 20th-century American slang
d) Shakespearean literature
Answer: c) 20th-century American slang
Also Read: Idioms for IELTS
Explore more exciting reads below:
FAQs
The idiom is believed to have originated in 20th-century America, possibly from the tradition of awarding cakes as prizes in competitions. The term became widely popular during World War II, when American soldiers used it to describe easy missions.
Yes. Here are a few examples:
1. The math test was a piece of cake; I finished it in just 10 minutes!
2. After years of experience, driving a car is a piece of cake for him.
3. Don’t worry about the project; it’s a piece of cake if you follow the instructions.
The idiom is commonly used to describe simple or effortless tasks in both casual and professional settings. For example:
Friend 1: Was the interview difficult?
Friend 2: No, it was a piece of cake!
Or, in a workplace:
Boss: Can you finish this report by tomorrow?
Employee: Absolutely, it’ll be a piece of cake.
Here are some idioms with similar meanings:
1. “Easy as pie” – Something very simple
2. “A walk in the park” – An easy task
3. “Like shooting fish in a barrel” – Extremely easy
4. “As easy as ABC” – Very simple to understand
The opposite of “A Piece of Cake” would be idioms that describe something difficult, such as:
1. “A tough nut to crack” – Something hard to do or understand
2. “An uphill battle” – A challenging or difficult situation
3. “Bite off more than you can chew” – Taking on more than one can handle
This was all about the idiom get your act together meaning and examples. Hope you understood the concept where it’s used. For more such Learn English blogs, follow Leverage Edu.
45,000+ students trusted us with their dreams. Take the first step today!
