noun
- an excessive display of anxious attention or activity; needless or useless bustle: They made a fuss over the new baby.
- an argument or noisy dispute: They had a fuss about who should wash dishes.
- a complaint or protest, especially about something relatively unimportant.
verb (used without object)
- to make a fuss; make much ado about trifles: You’ll never finish the job if you fuss over details.
- to complain especially about something relatively unimportant.
verb (used with object)
- to disturb, especially with trifles; annoy; bother.
noun
- nervous activity or agitation, esp when disproportionate or unnecessary
- complaint or objectionhe made a fuss over the bill
- an exhibition of affection or admiration, esp if excessivethey made a great fuss over the new baby
- a quarrel; dispute
verb
- (intr) to worry unnecessarily
- (intr) to be excessively concerned over trifles
- (when intr, usually foll by over) to show great or excessive concern, affection, etc (for)
- (intr foll by with) Jamaican to quarrel violently
- (tr) to bother (a person)
1701, perhaps an alteration of force, or imitative of bubbling or sputtering sounds, or from Danish fjas “foolery, nonsense.” First attested in Anglo-Irish writers, but no obvious connections to Irish. To make a fuss was earlier to keep a fuss (1726).
1792, from fuss (n.). Related: Fussed; fussing.
In addition to the idiom beginning with fuss
- fuss and feathers
also see:
- kick up a fuss
- make a fuss