🗓️ Idiom: Kick Up a Fuss (v)
💬 Meaning
- To complain loudly or show strong dissatisfaction about something.
- To make a lot of noise or trouble because you are unhappy with a situation.
🧠 Example Sentences
- The customer kicked up a fuss when her delivery was late.
- He kicked up a fuss about the new office rules.
- There’s no need to kick up a fuss over such a small mistake.
🏛️ Origin
The idiom comes from the old English word fuss, meaning unnecessary excitement or noise. The phrase “kick up a fuss” first appeared in the 19th century and describes creating a disturbance or protest, much like kicking dust into the air.
📝 Practice Exercises
1. Fill in the blank:
When the meeting was cancelled, several employees _______ about the short notice.
Answer
kicked up a fuss
2. Multiple choice:
What does “kick up a fuss” mean?
a) To stay calm about a situation
b) To complain or protest noisily
c) To ignore a problem
Answer
b) To complain or protest noisily
3. Change the sentence using “kick up a fuss”:
“She protested strongly when she didn’t receive her bonus.”
Answer
She kicked up a fuss when she didn’t receive her bonus.
ℹ️ Other Useful Pages
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👉 Idioms for Complaints
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Rob is a CELTA qualified English teacher with 15 years of international experience. He has a BSc and PGDip from Loughborough and St Andrews universities in the UK. He has taught in Thailand and Saudi Arabia and now works with professionals worldwide.
