English idiom

a tough nut to crack

Register · Neutral CEFR C1

Post

Figurative meaning

a hard problem to solve or a hard person to convince

Why this phrase?

A hard shell that resists being cracked represents a problem or person that is difficult to get through.

Example

“Taming the legacy codebase is a tough nut to crack.”

Dictionary details

Component words

tough nut crack

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

in a pickle

in a difficult or embarrassing situation

can of worms

a complicated problem that causes trouble the moment it is touched

easier said than done

Something that sounds simple to do but is actually hard.

get out of hand

To become impossible to control.

hang in there

to persevere and not give up despite difficulty

in a tight spot

in a difficult or dangerous situation

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

External links

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