cakewalk

Etymology

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.

Pronunciation

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Noun

cakewalk (plural cakewalks)

1. (historical) 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, The Westbound Train‎:

     Just as common as she is, a cakewalk sort of a name.

   • 1995, Richard Powers, Galatea 2.2, →ISBN:

     Nah. The first step’s a cakewalk. We can beat the hell out of a developing infant, in any case.

Verb

cakewalk (third-person singular simple present cakewalks, present participle cakewalking, simple past and past participle cakewalked)

1. (intransitive) To perform the cakewalk dance.

See also

• easy as pie
• like shooting fish in a barrel
• like taking candy from a baby
• piece of cake
• walk in the park