tough nut to crack
The phrase "tough nut to crack" metaphorically compares difficult problems or people to a hard-shelled nut that is challenging to open.
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Definition
B2General
(informal)A problem or situation that is very difficult to solve or understand.
Example
- Solving the mystery was a tough nut to crack for the detectives.
B2General
(informal)A person who is difficult to deal with or get to know.
Example
- The new manager is a tough nut to crack; she keeps her thoughts to herself.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "tough nut to crack":
hard nut to cracktough cookietough as nailshard as nailscrack openhard casehard outtough breaktough luckcrack throughhard timesticky wicketlucky nuthard wordbust a nuthard going