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take the cake

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take the cake

  (British, American & Australian) also take the biscuit (British & Australian)

if you say that something someone has said or done takes the cake, you mean that it was very bad, and even worse than things they have said or done before She's been opening my letters - that really takes the cake!

See take into account, take a back seat, take the bad with the good, swallow the bait, pick up the ball and run, draw a bead on, get the bit between teeth, take a blind bit of notice, take on board, bear the brunt of, be centre stage, take it on the chin, take to the cleaner's, take the cloth, carry coals to Newcastle, take it easy, Take it easy!, can't take eyes off, take at face value, take the fall for, take fancy, I take the Fifth, Take five!, take in good part, accept as gospel, take for granted, take it for granted, catch off guard, I take my hat off to, take it into head, take heart, take to heart, take the heat off, take to heels, take kindly to, take a knock, take the law into own hands, take a leaf out of book, take a leak, take liberties, take the liberty of, blow the lid off, take life in hands, take lumps, take lying down, take matters into own hands, take the mick, take mind off, take name in vain, take no for an answer, can't stand the pace, take part, Take a pew, take your pick, take a piece out of, take the piss, sign the pledge, take the plunge, take pot luck, take a powder, take no prisoners, I'll take a rain check, take the rap, take it as read, take over the reins, take for a ride, take root, take a running jump!, take with a pinch of salt, take a shine to, take the shine off, pick up the slack, take a stand, take the sting out of, take by storm, take in stride, take to task, take by the throat, take a turn for the worse, take umbrage, take the wind out of sails, take under wing, take at word, take word for it, take the words out of mouth, take the wraps off, take the wrong way

See also: cake, take

take the cake

Be the most outstanding in some respect, either the best or the worst. For example, That advertising slogan really took the cake, or What a mess they made of the concert-that takes the cake! This expression alludes to a contest called a cakewalk, in which a cake is the prize. Its figurative use, for something either excellent or outrageously bad, dates from the 1880s.

See also: cake, take

take the cake

1. To be the most outrageous or disappointing.

2. To win the prize; be outstanding.

See also: cake, take