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But in your metaphorical life a nutcracker won't help if you have a hard or tough nut to crack. A hard or tough nut to crack is an expression that refers to something that is very difficult to do or understand. The phrase is also used to describe a person, especially a man, as a tough nut, meaning they are difficult to deal with. It is obviously used informally.

"You took Physics with Professor Young last semester; can you tell me how he is?"

"A tough nut."

"A tough nut to crack" is an expression that is used as a headline for a news report on how the Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement will help Thailand compete in a Japanese market which is dominated by China.

At the beginning I already mentioned that we use a nutcracker to crack a nut, but if somebody says to you that you are using a sledgehammer, which is a construction tool, to crack a nut he/she means you are using much more force or energy that you actually need - and certainly they are showing you their disapproval.

Using machine weapons to disperse a group of peaceful demonstrators is definitely using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

 

At home I not only enjoy cracking nuts to eat but also cracking jokes to have a good belly laugh.

The kids loved it when Grandpa cracked jokes.

 

A good joke always makes people laugh, but if someone suddenly laughs a lot or something suddenly makes somebody laugh a lot, we say the person cracks up or something cracks them up.

I can't help it that every time I see this comic strip I just crack up.

This comic strip makes me crack up whenever I see it.

 

But it won't be fun if somebody "cracks up", because the person loses control of themselves and becomes mentally ill. You can use this phrasal verb as a noun by hyphenating it.

Ange has cracked up and needed to be hospitalised.

We were all surprised to hear of Ange's crack-up.

 

Complete the sentences with the expression explained:

1. Baby Charles will … if you play peek-a-boo with him.

2. Keith said he needed extra time to play computer games to relax because today's maths test was … .

3. You have requested 20 workers to move an office that can fit in one truck load; I think you are … .

4. Take it easy with your life, and give yourself a reward or you will … before you know it.

5. I liked the way Merilyn … ; it was hilarious.

Answers: 1. crack up , 2. a tough/hard nut to crack, 3. using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, 4. crack up, 5. cracked jokes

By Parnsap Yomanage