fuss

fuss about

and fuss around

to go about complaining; to move about in a busy manner. Don't fuss about so much. Things will take care of themselves. Now, stop fussing around and sit down.

See also: fuss

fuss about someone or something

to complain about someone or something. What are you fussing about now? Are you still fussing about Tony?

See also: fuss

fuss and feathers

Rur. fancy addictions that are overdone or troublesome. A truly elegant dress doesn't have a lot of fuss and feathers. They ruined a nice room with all that fuss and feathers.

fuss (around) with someone or something

to keep bothering with someone or something; to fiddle with someone or something. Don't fuss around with it. We'll have to get a new one. Don't fuss with your children. They will get along just fine without all that attention.

See also: fuss

fuss at someone or something

to complain at someone. Stop fussing at me! The squirrel is fussing at the dog.

See also: fuss

fuss over someone or something

to go to a lot of bother about someone or something. My aunt always fusses over me and my sister. You spend a lot of time fussing over your hair.

See also: fuss

kick up a fuss

and kick up a row; kick up a storm

Fig. to become a nuisance; to misbehave and disturb (someone). (Row rhymes with cow. Note the variations in the examples.) The customer kicked up such a fuss about the food that the manager came to apologize. I kicked up such a row that they told me to leave. Oh, what pain! My arthritis is kicking up a storm.

land so poor it wouldn't even raise a fuss

and land too poor to raise a racket on

Rur. land where nothing will grow. I inherited two hundred acres from my uncle, but it's land so poor it wouldn't even raise a fuss. The soil's exhausted. That land is so poor it wouldn't even raise a fuss. Jill can grow a garden anywhere, even on land too poor to raise a racket on.

make a fuss

(over someone or something)

1. to worry about or make a bother about someone or something. Why do you make a fuss over a problem like that? Please don't make a fuss. Everything will be all right.

2. to be very solicitous and helpful toward a person or a pet. How can anyone make a fuss over a cat? Billy was embarrassed when his mother made a fuss over him.

3. to argue about someone or something. Please don't make a fuss over who gets the last cookie. Please discuss it. Don't make a fuss over it!

fuss with something

1. to be busy with something without having a particular purpose Jack had spent hours fussing with the old car.

2. to try to fix something complicated It's a mistake to fuss with your computer.

Related vocabulary: fiddle with something

See also: fuss

kick up a fuss/row/stink

to complain loudly in order to show that you are very annoyed about something Our food was cold so my father kicked up a fuss and refused to pay the service charge.

fuss and feathers

Needless commotion and display, as in There was so much fuss and feathers over the award ceremony that I decided not to attend . This expression probably survives because of its appealing alliteration. [Mid-1800s]

kick up a fuss

Also, kick up a row or storm . Create a disturbance; start a fight. For example, The soup was cold, and Aunt Mary began to kick up a fuss, calling for the manager, or There's no need to kick up a row; the boys will leave quietly, or If they fire him, Carl is ready to kick up a storm. These expressions all employ kick up in the sense of "raise dust or dirt," a usage dating from the mid-1700s.

make a fuss

1. Cause a needless commotion or display, as in I'm sure he'll be here soon; please don't make a fuss. It is also often put as make a fuss about or over , as in He's making a fuss about nothing, or If you make a fuss over the small budget items, what will it be like when we discuss the big ones? The idiom dates from about 1800, although the use of fuss in this sense is a century older.

2. make a fuss over someone. Treat someone with excessive attention, solicitude, or affection, as in Whenever they visit Grandma she makes a fuss over the children. [1920s]

fuss over

To handle or deal with something or someone in an overly attentive or nervous way: Don't fuss over every detail—just get the main idea across for now. The grandparents fussed over their new grandchild.

See also: fuss

fuss with

To handle or manipulate something excessively and unnecessarily, especially when overly concerned or nervous: The contestants fussed with their outfits before the pageant began.

See also: fuss

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Mariana	mə-RYA-nə (Portuguese), mah-RYAH-nah (Spanish)	Portuguese, Spanish, Romanian, Czech, Ancient Roman
Abhijeet	-	Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali
Iliyana	-	Bulgarian
Karoline	kah-ro-LEE-nə (German)	German, Danish, Norwegian
Averil	['ævəril]
Yvo	-	German, Dutch