(~s)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
A ~ is a sweet food made by baking a mixture of flour, eggs, sugar, and fat in an oven. Cakes may be large and cut into slices or small and intended for one person only.
...a piece of ~...
Would you like some chocolate ~?
...little ~s with white icing.
N-VAR
2.
Food that is formed into flat round shapes before it is cooked can be referred to as ~s.
...fish ~s.
...home-made potato ~s.
N-COUNT: usu supp N
3.
A ~ of soap is a small block of it.
...a small ~ of lime-scented soap.
N-COUNT: usu N of n
4.
If you think that someone wants the benefits of doing two things when it is only reasonable to expect the benefits of doing one, you can say that they want to have their ~ and eat it.
What he wants is a switch to a market economy in a way which does not reduce people’s standard of living. To many this sounds like wanting to have his ~ and eat it.
PHRASE: Vs inflect disapproval
5.
If you think something is very easy to do, you can say it is a piece of ~. People often say this to stop someone feeling worried about doing something they have to do. (INFORMAL)
Just another surveillance job, old chap. Piece of ~ to somebody like you.
PHRASE: usu v-link PHR
6.
If someone has done something very stupid, rude, or selfish, you can say that they take the ~ or that what they have done takes the ~, to emphasize your surprise at their behaviour. (AM; in BRIT, use take the biscuit )
= take the biscuit
PHRASE: V inflects emphasis
7.
the icing on the ~: see icing