fuss (redirected from fussing)

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.

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.

fuss about someone or something

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

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.

See also: and, feather

fuss at someone or something

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

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.

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.

See also: kick, up

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.

See also: even, land, poor, raise

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!

See also: make

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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.

See also: kick, up

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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