Idiom
Tough cookie
A tough cookie is a strong, determined person who handles hard situations without giving up.
How people use it
It is informal and usually admiring, used for kids, older relatives, athletes and coworkers who keep going through difficulty. It can also describe someone who is hard to deal with, such as a tough negotiator or a strict teacher. Don't confuse it with "tough cookies," a dismissive reply meaning "too bad." The usual pattern is "be a tough cookie." Similar phrases include "tough as nails" and "a fighter."
Examples
- My grandmother is a tough cookie who still shovels her own snow at ninety.
- The goalkeeper played with a sprained wrist, and everyone agreed she was a tough cookie.
- Don't worry about Maya at camp, because she's a tough cookie.
Where it comes from
The phrase is American and dates from the early 1900s, when "cookie" was slang for a person, as in "smart cookie." A tough cookie is someone who will not crumble under pressure. The reply "tough cookies" is probably a later playful twist on "tough luck."
Check yourself
1. If your coach calls you a tough cookie, what is she saying?
Answer: You are strong and don't give up. A tough cookie is a resilient, determined person.
2. Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
Answer: After two surgeries, my uncle was back at work in a month, a real tough cookie.. The uncle recovered with strength and determination.
Similar idioms
Word game fan? See every word hiding in COOKIE.