stink

*like stink

Inf. rapidly. (As fast as a smell spreads. *Typically: go ~; move ~; run ~; swim ~.) Those kids moved through the whole test like stink. Real eager-beavers. The wood chipper went through the brush like stink and turned it into a small pile in minutes.

See also: like

create a stink (about something) and make a stink (about something); raise a stink (about something)

Fig. to make a major issue out of something; to make much over something; to make a lot of complaints and criticisms about something. Tom created a stink about Bob's remarks. Why did he make a stink about that? Tom is always trying to raise a stink.

See also: create

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: fuss, kick, up

make a (big) stink (about someone or something) and raise a (big) stink (about someone or something)

Fig. to make trouble about someone or something. Why did you raise a big stink about it? Jim is making a stink about Alice.

See also: make

stink something up

to make something or some place smell very bad. Your cooking really stunk the place up! The rotten eggs will stink up the whole house.

See also: up

stink on ice

Sl. to be really rotten. (so rotten as to reek even when frozen.) This show stinks on ice. The whole idea stank on ice.

See also: ice

stink to high heaven and smell to high heaven

Fig. to smell very bad. What happened? This place stinks to high heaven. This meat smells to high heaven. Throw it away!

See also: heaven, high

stink with something

to smell very bad with the smell of something. The room stinks with a garlicky smell. Our garden stinks with the smell of something rotting.

---

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: fuss, kick, up

kick up a stink  (British informal) also make/raise a stink (American informal)

to complain angrily about something that you are not satisfied with He kicked up a stink at the restaurant because the meal was late.

See smell to high heaven, kick up a fuss

See also: kick, up

smell/stink to high heaven

to smell very bad That chicken farm stinks to high heaven.

See also: heaven, high, smell

---

kick up a stink

to cause an argument about something that seems wrong The consumer group kicked up a stink about the defective tires on SUVs.

See also: kick, up

raise a stink also make a stink

to complain angrily about something Parents really should raise a stink about violence on children's TV shows.

See also: raise

stink up something also stink something up

1. to make a place smell unpleasant Take the garbage out before it stinks up the entire house.

2. to do something very badly Every time I begin a new job, I worry that I'm gonna stink it up, you know?

Usage notes: sometimes used to suggest that an experience causes you to react as you would to a bad smell: The Dolphins stunk up Rich Stadium by losing 40-0.

See also: up