Have Your Cake And Eat It

[Hopkirk]

I've never really understood what this means.

Do you?

[-Talbot-]

Yes

[ichkeria]

Yes. Marie Antionette got into trouble for saying 'Let them eat cake ' when she really meant 'Let them have it ' :-)

[Buenchico]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_can't_have_your_cake_and_eat_it

People who want to have their cake and eat' seek to achieve 'Option A' and 'Option B' simultaneously, even though 'Option A' precludes 'Option B' from happening and vice versa.

For instance, The European Union rules insist that access to free trade goes hand-in-hand with the free movement of citizens. Those who want to retain free trade but block European immigration are seeking to 'have their cake and eat it'.

[Prudie]

Blimey, didn't know it meant that!

[Tilly2]

Excellent answer from Chris.

[Buenchico]

^^^
That first line should read:
People who want to 'have their cake and eat it' . . .

(There's a cat on my keyboard!)

[DTCwordfan]

one meaning is its anagram, politically incorrect perhaps, "Radiate, evacuate, honky."

[-SharonA-]

I thought it meant eating as much cake as you can without being sick!

[Muntin]

In Wales English speakers sometimes say 'can't have the penny and the bun'.

[melv16]

It also means don't make a fire in a canoe... You can't have your kayak and heat it.

[EDDIE51]

I like your reasoning Chris. I would put it as,
You inherit a house, you can either live in it , or sell it for a profit. But >>>
You can't have your house and sell it !

[Hopkirk]

Thanks all.

Lets end this with a song.


.

[Hopkirk]

.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RD0S3JNa_Y

[Buenchico]

I'm reminded, Eddie, of the old joke about the Eskimo whose boat sank after he lit a fire in it to keep warm, proving that you can't have your kayak and heat it ;-)

[Buenchico]

Animal says thank you for the Muppets video, Hopkirk (and for the BA as well!)

[EDDIE51]

melv 16 That line came from a joke I once posted on here
There was an eskimo who had a canoe. One day he was in his canoe when it capsized and he had to swim to the river bank. He was a good swimmer and even managed to drag his canoe out of the water. But his beloved canoe was soaking wet and full of water. He tipped out the water and tried to think what to do. Luckily he still had his trusty fire flints which he kept in a waterproof seal skin pouch. So he gathered some dry wood and made a fire with his fire flints. Then he set off to hunt some food. His hunt took longer than he intended and when he got back to his camp site the fire was out and the beautiful canoe was just a pile of ash.He realised that the fire had dried out his canoe and then sparks from the fire had set light to it.
All of this goes to show that, you can't have your Kayak and heat it !!

[-Talbot-]

You can't have best answer and keep it too

:0(

[Mamyalynne]

Have a rock bun Talbot.x

[Peter Pedant]

yeah I was gonna say
have your cake and eat it - think Brexit....

which is in case you havent guessed is that people want all the good things of being in ( like stay in the common market ) and also the good things of being out ( no wags er that is how Brexiters would put it - the villains I hasten to say - terrible people I have met a few - on AB !)

oop t north it is
come to your cake and ha'penny
( keep it and no cake - spend it and have cake - but nothing in between )

[bhg481]

I first heard the "kayak" joke told by Frank Muir on a TV programme "My Music", back when TV was black and white.