tough cookie
English
[edit]Noun
[edit]tough cookie (plural tough cookies)
- (informal) A person who can endure physical or mental hardship; a hardened, strong-willed person.
- 1973 December 10, “Ioannidis: Power in the Wings”, in Time:
- An austere, hard-lining rightist, who lives alone, Ioannidis is described by one Washington military official as "a real tough cookie."
- 1980, Eddie Schwartz, “Hit Me with Your Best Shot”, in Crimes of Passion[1], performed by Pat Benatar:
- Well you're a real tough cookie with a long history
Of breaking little hearts like the one in me
- 2002, Picabo Street, Dana White, Picabo: Nothing to Hide, Contemporary Books, →ISBN, page 6:
- I run to Micki and give her a hug. She was racing with a broken thumb — a tough cookie, just like me.
- 2005 October 3, Liz Austin, “Miers had stormy tenure at Texas Lottery Commission”, in Spokesman-Review:
- "Although she's a small-framed woman, we all believed she came through the Marines and maybe ate nails for breakfast because she's one tough cookie," said Horace Taylor […]
- (informal) A hardy, resilient animal or plant.
- 2006 March 13, “Katrina Cat”, in Jet:
- Though its name is Cupcake, Tristan Carter's cat proved it was one tough cookie surviving on its own since Hurricane Katrina forced Carter to abandon it […]
- (informal) Something troublesome or difficult to handle.
Synonyms
[edit]Translations
[edit]person who can endure physical or mental hardship
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