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crumble

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that's how the cookie crumbles

There is nothing we can do about the way things have unfolded, especially bad ones, so there is no reason to be upset about it. (A variant of the more common "That's the way the cookie crumbles.") I'm pretty gutted about not getting into the grad school program I wanted, but hey, that's just how the cookie crumbles.

See also: cookie, crumble, how

crumble away

to break away in little pieces. The marble pillar was crumbling away because of the acidic rain. One of my teeth is just crumbling away.

See also: away, crumble

crumble into something

to break apart and fall down into bits and pieces. The base of the pillar suddenly crumbled into dust. The bones crumbled into dust as the body was lifted from the box.

See also: crumble

crumble something up (into something)

to crunch up or break up something into pieces. Now, crumble the dried bread up into crumbs. Crumble up the bread into crumbs.

See also: crumble, up

crumble up

to break up into little pieces. The cake, which was very dry, crumbled up when I tried to cut it. The paper of the old book crumbled up when I turned the pages.

See also: crumble, up

That's the way the ball bounces.

 and That's the way the cookie crumbles.; That's the way the mop flops.

Prov. You cannot control everything that happens to you.; You should accept the bad things that happen. Bill: I bought a hundred lottery tickets this week, but I still didn't win! Alan: That's the way the ball bounces. I was planning to have fun on my vacation, but I've been sick the whole time. I guess that's just the way the cookie crumbles. That's tough, but that's the way the mop flops.

See also: ball, bounce, way

That's the way the cookie crumbles.

  (British, American & Australian informal) also That's the way the ball bounces. (American informal)

something that you say which means that bad things sometimes happen and there is nothing you can do to prevent it, so it is not worth becoming upset about it I can't believe they chose Sam for the job and not me. Ah well, that's the way the cookie crumbles.

See be laughing all the way to the bank, one way or the other, There's more than one way to skin a cat, claw your way back from, know which way to turn, open the way for, pave the way for, pay its way, pay way, point the way, see which way the cat jumps, see your way to, smooth the way for, wing way, see which way the wind is blowing

See also: cookie, crumble, way

that's how the ball bounces

Also, that's the way the ball bounces or the cookie crumbles . That is the way matters have worked out and nothing can be done about it. For example, I'm sorry you got fired but that's how the ball bounces, or They wanted a baby girl but got a third boy-that's the way the cookie crumbles. These phrases allude to an odd bounce or a crumbled cookie that cannot be put back together. [Colloquial; mid-1900s]

See also: ball, bounce, how

That’s the way the cookie crumbles

sent. That is life.; That is typical of the unequal share of things you are likely to get in life. I lost my job. Oh, well. That’s the way the cookie crumbles.

See also: cookie, crumble, way