jawbreaker
A large piece of hard candy or bubblegum.
Billy asked his mother for a quarter to buy some jawbreakers and a chocolate bar.
A word or name that is hard to pronounce.
His name, Nissequogue, is a real jawbreaker.
last straw
straw that breaks the camel's back
A small trouble which follows other troubles and makes one lose patience and be unable to bear them.
Bill had a bad day in school yesterday. He lost his knife on the way home, then he fell down, and when he broke a shoe lace, that was the last straw and he began to cry.
Mary didn't like it when the other girls said she was proud and lazy, but when they said she told fibs it was the straw that broke the camel's back and she told the teacher.
When John asked to borrow money from me for the fourth time, it was the last straw. I finally told him that I couldn’t lend him any more.
I can’t believe that my roommate left the door to our apartment unlocked again. It’s the last straw; I’m moving out.
make or break
To bring complete success or failure, victory or defeat.
Playing the role of Hamlet will make or break the young actor.
nervous breakdown
A mild or severe attack of mental illness; a collapse of a person's ability to make decisions and solve problems because of overwork, great mental strain, or the like.
When the mother saw her baby run over, she suffered a nervous breakdown.
strikebreaker
One who takes the place of workers on strike or one who recruits such people.
The striking workers threw rotten eggs at the strikebreakers.
take a break
To have a brief rest period during the course of one's work.
"You've worked hard. It's time to take a break," the boss said.
tough luck
tough shit
hard luck
tough break
An informal way to say that one had that coming; it serves one right.
So your date didn't show up, eh? Tough luck, fellow.