Cakewalking

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. A spirited dance often featuring exaggerated motions alongside a task that is remarkably easy to accomplish, which also denotes a victory attained with little to no effort involved
2. A dance characterized by high stepping movements and lively rhythm ; a task completed with minimal effort or an easy win
3. An energetic style of dancing that involves exaggerated, measured steps ; something done effortlessly or a victory achieved without difficulty

Etymology: The most striking turn here is that the cakewalk began as satire. Enslaved people on Southern plantations held dance competitions in which they parodied the stiff, formal ballroom dances of the slaveowners, exaggerating the poses and steps until the imitation became its own art form. The slaveowners seem to have found these contests entertaining, and the custom of offering cake to the winner may date from this period. The dance later spread into African-American social life after the Civil War, where the best dancers were often rewarded with cake. Minstrel shows then popularised it, stripping away much of its original irony and turning it into a stage novelty for white audiences. The word's sense of an easy task comes from the dance itself. Doing the cakewalk well demanded skill, but the best dancers made it look effortless, and that apparent ease gave rise to the idiom "as easy as a cakewalk." From there the noun drifted into meaning anything accomplished with little effort, a meaning that eventually lost all trace of the dance.

Synonyms: strutting, walking, parading, showing off, sashaying

Antonyms: trudging, shuffling, stumbling, limping, dragging