"Having your cake and eating it too" Topic

What the heck does that mean?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"To have one's cake and eat it too or simply have one's cake and eat it (sometimes eat one's cake and have it too) is the instance of an individual consuming, exhausting, taking advantage of or using up a particular thing and, then, after that thing is gone or no longer reasonably available, still attempting to benefit from or use it. It may also indicate having or wanting more than one can handle or deserve, or trying to have two incompatible things. It is a popular English idiomatic proverb or figure of speech and is most often used negatively. The proverb's meaning is similar to the phrases, "you can't have it both ways" and "you can't have the best of both worlds."

"As an example, an individual who is engaged to marry someone but is still dating others romantically would be said to be having one's cake and eating it too."

I've always taken it to mean you are very wealthy and don't have to work. In other words you don't have to compromise and sell the cake for rent or real food.

John, it would be as if you watched American Idol and could enjoy actual talented performers on it.

Allen

Why wait any longer for the world to begin. You can have your cake and eat it too.

As an example, an individual who is engaged to marry someone but is still dating others romantically would be said to be having one's cake and eating it too.

Wouldn't the better comparison be: "As an example, an individual who is married but is still dating others romantically would be said to be having one's cake and eating it too."

Yep, the other would be having ordered the wedding cake, but eating someone else's.

Someone else's what?

You have bulimia?

Regards, the Gorb

Actually, my family always used it in the negative.

"You can't have your cake and eat it too."

Always used in the context of instant vs. delayed gratification or being forced to make a difficult choice.

Regards, the Gorb

I never understood it as a kid, always thinking to 'have cake' and to 'eat cake' meant the same thing.

And actually they do. If I say, 'I will have cake', I think most people will take that to mean I will eat it, in the same way that to have dinner is to eat it, not simply keep it and look at it.

Eventually I realised it was the other meaning of have, namely to be in possession of. After I eat my cake I no longer have it.

A clearer saying would be, you can't have your money and spend it too, but that is not as catchy.

So yes, it means you can't have it both ways. You cannot have two mutually exclusive options. So make your mind up sonny-Jim.

You are still in possession of the cake until your next bowel movement. In addition, , molecules from the cake will form part of your body for up to, IIRC 7 years, depending on what they are used for.

Stupid proverb.

'Killing two birds with One Stone'. Like THAT's hard. It's easy, as long as the birds are Penguins and you put the stone in a sports-sock. If you pick your moment you can kill up to 9 birds before the screaming atracts security.

pat

As the household baker for all family functions, it means to me I bring the cake to share but take my portion only after everyone has taken what they want.

That I why always bring two…

How can you eat a cake without having it first.
It seems to me that the proverb wants you to possess something, but not actually get the use of it.

How can you eat a cake without having it first.
It seems to me that the proverb wants you to possess something, but not actually get the use of it.

In the modern vernacular:

"You want to eat your cake, and still have the original amount of uneaten cake once you're done."
-Kle.

From ask Yahoo and the Radical Reference (quoting a Random House compilation of proverbs from 1996). The proverb apparently was first recorded by John Heywood in a collection of proverbs in 1546 as -

"Wolde you bothe eate your cake, and haue your cake?"

This appears to be more readily understandable as an admonition that complete consumption of a resource is incompatible with retaining it for later consumption.

OFM, simple versions for wargamers.

Wants to be a serious wargamer and not be obsessive.

Wants to be a serious wargamer and have a clutter free house.

Wants to be a serious wargamer and have a healthy bank balance.

Basically you can not consume an item and still have it to use.