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Why do we say "That's the way the cookie crumbles"?

Well-Known Expressions

That's the way the cookie crumbles

Meaning:

That's the way life is.

Background:

The origin of this expression is unknown but it has been in use since at least the 1950s. It is a variant on the expression "such is life".

"Such is life" appears to have originated in the 18th century. For example, Joseph Baretti's A Grammar of the Italian Language (1762) translates "Cosi va'l mondo!" as "Such is life". The expression is also mirrored in French as "C'est la vie" ("that's life").

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The Tapestry of Time
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Love, war, and the supernatural collide in this dazzling historical fantasy by international bestselling author Kate Heartfield.

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