cookie

cookie — noun

1. A sweet baked item, usually round and flat, made from ingredients such as flour,

1.名詞A1
釋義

A sweet baked item, usually round and flat, made from ingredients such as flour, butter, and sugar — typically eaten as a snack or treat, and often containing added pieces of chocolate, nuts, or dried fruit.

例句

Minh baked a batch of chocolate chip cookies for the school bake sale.

collocation: a batch of cookies

The children each grabbed a cookie from the jar after finishing their homework.

collocation: cookie jar

同義詞
  • biscuit

    British English term; refers to a wider range of baked items, including plainer, less sweet ones.

  • cracker

    Savory or less sweet; not the same as a cookie, but sometimes confused by learners.

文法句型

cookie + noun (cookie jar, cookie sheet)

用法筆記

In American English this is the standard word; in British English the usual word is 'biscuit', though 'cookie' is increasingly understood for the American-style soft variety.

常見錯誤

❌I ate a cookie for breakfast with my tea.' (in British context).
✅I ate a biscuit for breakfast with my tea.
💡In British English, 'cookie' suggests a soft American-style biscuit, not the standard tea biscuit.
❌We need a cookie of milk.
✅We need a glass of milk to go with the cookies.
💡'Cookie' is not a unit of measurement; use 'glass of milk.'

2. An informal way to describe a person who has a particular quality — used in fixe

2.名詞B2
釋義

An informal way to describe a person who has a particular quality — used in fixed phrases such as 'smart cookie', 'tough cookie', or 'clever cookie' to call someone intelligent, determined, or sharp-witted.

例句

Heather is one smart cookie — she solved the logic puzzle before anyone else.

phrase: smart cookie

The detective knew he was dealing with a tough cookie who would not confess easily.

phrase: tough cookie

同義詞
  • person

    Neutral, standard term; lacks the informal approving tone of 'cookie' phrases.

  • guy

    Informal but neutral; 'cookie' adds a compliment about cleverness or toughness.

  • character

    Suggests someone unusual or interesting; overlaps in informality but does not imply smartness.

文法句型

adjective + cookie

用法筆記

Never used alone to mean 'a person' — the adjective is required. The tone is always informal and approving (clever, tough, smart), rarely neutral or negative. Common in both American and British conversation.

常見錯誤

❌She is a cookie.
✅She is a smart cookie.
💡The word alone does not mean 'person'; it must follow an adjective.
❌He is a bad cookie.
✅He is a tough nut to crack.
💡'Cookie' phrases are usually positive; 'bad cookie' is non-standard.

3. A small text file that a website saves on a user's computer or phone to remember

3.名詞B1
釋義

A small text file that a website saves on a user's computer or phone to remember information about that visit, such as language preferences, login status, or items in a shopping cart.

例句

The travel website asked Sana to accept cookies so it could remember her language settings.

verb phrase: accept cookies

Jiwoo cleared her browser cookies after noticing the site loaded slowly.

verb phrase: clear cookies

同義詞
  • tracking file

    More technical and narrower; not all cookies track users — some store preferences.

  • browser storage

    Broader term that includes cookies, local storage, and session storage.

文法句型

accept cookies

clear cookies

cookie file

用法筆記

Cookies are small text files — they are not programs and cannot install viruses or access your hard drive. Websites use them to keep you logged in, remember your shopping cart, or show you relevant ads. Many privacy laws now require websites to ask your permission before placing cookies.

常見錯誤

❌A cookie deleted my files.
✅Clearing cookies may log you out of your email account.
💡Cookies are text data files and cannot delete other files.
❌I downloaded a cookie from the website.
✅The website placed a cookie on my browser.
💡Cookies are stored automatically, not downloaded by the user.