English idiom

kick up a fuss

Register · Informal CEFR B2

Post

Figurative meaning

to react with a noisy, angry complaint, often over a minor issue

Word picture

A noisy complaint is pictured as a disturbance being kicked upward into motion.

Example

“Dad kicked up a fuss when the café charged him for an extra drink.”

Dictionary details

Component words

kick fuss

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

kick off

to begin an event, meeting, or project

kick the tires

to inspect or test something before committing to it

kick the habit

to stop a persistent behavior, especially an addictive one

on the one hand

used to introduce the first of two contrasting points or sides of an argument

fair game

a person or thing considered an acceptable target for pursuit or criticism

give someone a piece of your mind

To tell someone angrily what you really think of them.

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

External links

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