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You can't have your cake and eat it

Posted by TheFallen on May 13, 2003

In Reply to: PHRASE posted by JOAN LEDOUX on May 13, 2003

:
: PLEASE EXPLAIN "YOU CAN'T HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT TOO." WHY USE CAKE AS AN ANALOGY. OF COURSE, YOU WILL WANT TO EAT YOUR CAKE IF YOU HAVE IT. WHAT GOOD IS IT IF YOU DON'T EAT IT. KEEP IT AND IT ROTS.

: jOAN

You miss the point. Once you've eaten your cake, you won't have it any more, and so won't be able to enjoy it for a second time. I suppose this well-known phrase would be more readily comprehensible if it were "You can't eat your cake and still have it", but then again I didn't invent it. However, the point that you can't have it both ways is usually true.

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