fruitcake

Everyday

1. A fruitcake is a rich cake full of dried fruit like raisins, currants and cherries, often eaten at Christmas and weddings. tree →
2. (informal, rude) A fruitcake is a person who seems crazy or very strange; «nutty as a fruitcake» means very silly or mad. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life it is a festive food, especially in the UK, Ireland, Australia and NZ (Christmas cake). As slang it is a jokey insult for odd behaviour; it can be unkind, especially about people with mental illness. Phrases: a slice of fruitcake, nutty as a fruitcake.

Examples

• Grandma bakes a fruitcake every Christmas. tree →
• Would you like a slice of fruitcake with your tea? tree →
• The wedding cake was a rich fruitcake covered in icing. tree →
• The fruitcake was cut into 16 equal slices. tree →
• (informal) Our neighbour talks to his tomatoes — he's a bit of a fruitcake. tree →
• (informal) «He's as nutty as a fruitcake,» laughed Dad. tree →
• Fruitcake keeps for weeks in a tin. tree →

Note

Usually one word: fruitcake (also «fruit cake»). Uncountable for the food (some fruitcake), countable for whole cakes (two fruitcakes). The insult sense is informal and can be hurtful — avoid it about real people.