fuss
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.too much worry or excitement about something that is not very important.
n.excessive or unnecessary activity, excitement, or concern regarding a trivial matter.
Simple“All that fuss over a broken plate seemed a bit much to me.”
In context“The media made a tremendous fuss about the minor scheduling conflict, treating it as if it were a major political scandal.”
UsageOften used with the preposition 'about' or 'over'.
Antonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a show of anger or a complaint about something you do not like.
n.a public display of protest, complaint, or dissatisfaction.
Simple“He made a fuss at the restaurant because his soup was cold.”
In context“If the service doesn't improve, I am prepared to make a fuss and demand to speak with the manager.”
UsageCommonly used in the idiom 'to make a fuss'.
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a lot of attention, praise, or love shown to a person or animal.
n.an exhibition of excessive affection, admiration, or solicitous attention.
Simple“Everyone made a big fuss of the new baby when they arrived.”
In context“The dog enjoys the fuss the children make of him whenever they visit for the weekend.”
UsageIn British English, the construction is usually 'make a fuss of someone'.
- 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to worry too much about small details or to keep busy with unimportant things.
v.to behave in a nervous or restless manner; to pay excessive attention to petty details.
Simple“Stop fussing with your hair and let's go to the party.”
In context“She spent the entire morning fussing over the seating arrangements, even though it was just an informal lunch.”
UsageIntransitive verb; frequently followed by 'over' or 'with'.
- 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to be annoyed or to cry a little bit, especially used for babies.
v.to be ill-humoured or to cry fretfully.
Simple“The baby started to fuss because it was past his nap time.”
In context“The toddler began to fuss and pull at his clothes as the afternoon heat became more intense.”
Of unknown origin. Perhaps from Danish fjas (“nonsense”), from Middle Low German (compare German faseln (“to maunder, talk nonsense”)). Compare also fouse (“to hasten, rush, tumble, disarrange”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.