C1idiominformalfoodIELTS-friendly
have your cake and eat it
USUK
to want two good things that you cannot have at the same time
Usually negative: 'You can't have your cake and eat it.' American English often adds 'too' at the end.
In context
You want a well-paid job with no stress? You can't have your cake and eat it.
He wants to live in the city centre but pay village rent; he wants to have his cake and eat it.
More idioms about food
- a bad appleone bad person who has a bad effect on the rest of a group
- a couch potatoa person who spends a lot of time sitting and watching TV instead of being active
- a different kettle of fisha completely different situation from the one just mentioned
- a finger in every pieinvolved in many different activities, often to get power
- a meal ticketa person or thing that someone uses as a source of money or support