2006-09-09 15:55:22 · 7 answers · asked by HUH 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Trivia
The expression is supposed to be "you can't have your cake and eat it too". It means to save you can't have everything, so be satisfied with the situation you are having.
It may not have anything to do with the extravagant Marie Antoinette, Queen of France who was executed during the French Revolution. She was said to have said "Let them eat cake" when she was told the people were starving.
2006-09-09 16:27:47 · answer #1 · answered by calvin o 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The original and only sensible version of this saying is “You can’t eat your cake and have it too,” meaning that if you eat your cake you won’t have it any more. People get confused because we use the expression “have some cake” to mean ”eat some cake,” and they therefore misunderstand what “have” means in this expression.
This proverb was recorded in the book of proverbs by John Heywood in 1546, and is first attested in the United States in the 1742 'Colonial Records of Georgia' in 'Original Papers, 1735-1752.' The adage is found in varying forms: You can't eat your cake and have it too. You can't have everything and eat it too; Eat your cake and have the crumbs in bed with you, etc. ..."
2006-09-09 16:38:37 · answer #2 · answered by pbuchta 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In one of the French revolutions, the queen (her name escapes me right now) was told about the people starving and she said "Let them eat cake!" Something to do with the cost of food. That's the best explanation I can come up with. I don't know if it's right, but that is my final answer.
2006-09-09 16:04:50 · answer #3 · answered by J 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The phrase is "you can't have your cake and eat it too."
Don't know how it came about, but it means you can't have it both ways.
have one's cake and eat it, to obtain the advantages of two things which contradict each other.
2006-09-09 17:21:26 · answer #4 · answered by no nickname 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe it was Marie Antoinette the queen of France in 1753. Meaning that if you eat your cake you won’t have it any more.
2006-09-09 16:08:06 · answer #5 · answered by vlg 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
coming from local rituals
2006-09-10 09:31:06 · answer #6 · answered by david w 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dunno. It doesn't make any sense either. I WANNA EAT MA CAKE
2006-09-09 16:00:26 · answer #7 · answered by Evan D 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋