Cakewalk

Pronunciation

Origin

Originally a form of dance that white masters had their slaves perform for them and their audiences as entertainment. The slaveowners considered the spectacle extremely amusing since the dances derived from sophisticated white European aristocracy. As such, slaveowners dressed the slaves in costumes of exaggerated finery, like ridiculously tall tophats and flashy striped pants, and taught the slaves variations of the original dance steps designed as highly comical parodies. Audiences selected their favorites, and the slaves who performed most entertainingly for their masters were rewarded with a piece of cake.

Full definition of cakewalk

Noun

1. A contest in which cake was offered for the best dancers.
2. (music) The style of music associated with such a contest.
3. (performing arts) The dance, or style of dance associated with such a contest.
4. (idiomatic) Something that is easy or simple, or that does not present a great challenge.
• 1899, Willa Cather, http://libtextcenter.unl.edu/cather/writings/shortfiction/westbound.html:Just as common as she is, a cakewalk sort of a name.
• 1995, Richard Powers, , ISBN 0374199485:Nah. The first step’s a cakewalk. We can beat the hell out of a developing infant, in any case.

Synonyms

• (an activity that is easy) bagatelle, breeze, cinch, doddle, duck soup, piece of cake, walk in the park, walkover