tough vs tough cookie

tough

noun
  • A person who obtains things by force; a thug or bully. 

adj
  • Harsh or severe. 

  • Difficult or demanding. 

  • Stubborn or persistent; capable of stubbornness or persistence. 

  • Strong and resilient; sturdy. 

  • Undergoing plastic deformation before breaking. 

  • Difficult to cut or chew. 

  • Rugged or physically hardy. 

  • Rowdy or rough. 

verb
  • To endure. 

  • To toughen. 

intj
  • Used to indicate lack of sympathy 

tough cookie

noun
  • A person who can endure physical or mental hardship; a hardened, strong-willed person. 

  • A hardy, resilient animal or plant. 

  • Something troublesome or difficult to handle. 

How often have the words tough and tough cookie occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )