Cakewalk
(formerly) a promenade or march, of black American origin, in which the couples with the most intricate or eccentric steps received cakes as prizes.
a dance with a strutting step based on this promenade.
music for this dance.
Informal. something easy, sure, or certain.
to walk or dance in or as if in a cakewalk.
Contemporary Examples
Earth to DNC: Dyspeptic Dad Still Votes, Too Lloyd Green November 10, 2014
Earth to DNC: Dyspeptic Dad Still Votes, Too Lloyd Green November 10, 2014
Bring It On! Team USA Progresses to Round 2 Tunku Varadarajan June 25, 2014
Ad’s Message to Moms: If You Don’t Think Parenting Sucks, You’re Doing it Wrong Andy Hinds April 17, 2014
Philippe Petit’s Moment of Concern Walking the WTC Tightrope Anthony Haden-Guest August 7, 2014
Historical Examples
A Good Samaritan Mary Raymond Shipman Andrews
Franz Liszt James Huneker
London’s Underworld Thomas Holmes
Dimbie and I–and Amelia Mabel Barnes-Grundy
The Outdoor Girls in the Saddle Laura Lee Hope
noun
a dance based on a march with intricate steps, originally performed by African-Americans with the prize of a cake for the best performers
a piece of music composed for this dance
(informal) an easily accomplished task
verb
(intransitive) to perform the cakewalk
n.
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a sweet, baked, breadlike food, made with or without shortening, and usually containing flour, sugar, baking powder or soda, eggs, and liquid flavoring. a flat, thin mass of bread, especially unleavened bread. pancake; griddlecake. a shaped or molded mass of other food: a fish cake. a shaped or compressed mass: a cake of soap; a […]
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the good things of life; material pleasures: Their thoughts were only of cakes and ale.
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a sweet, baked, breadlike food, made with or without shortening, and usually containing flour, sugar, baking powder or soda, eggs, and liquid flavoring. a flat, thin mass of bread, especially unleavened bread. pancake; griddlecake. a shaped or molded mass of other food: a fish cake. a shaped or compressed mass: a cake of soap; a […]