take the cake definitions

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: rank first; used often in a negative context; "He takes the cake for chutzpah!"

Merriam Webster's

phrasal to carry off the prize ; rank first

Moby Thesaurus

bear the palm, beat, beat all hollow, best, capture, carry, carry away, carry it, carry off, carry the day, clobber, come out first, defeat, finish in front, fluke, gain, gain the day, lick, make a killing, skin, triumph, trounce, win, win out, win the battle, win the laurels, win the palm, win the prize, win through, worst