I. fuss 1 S3 /fʌs/ BrE AmE noun [singular, uncountable]
[ Date: 1700-1800 ; Origin: Perhaps from the sound of someone breathing quickly and excitedly ]
1 . anxious behaviour or activity that is usually about unimportant things:
James said he’d better be getting back or there’d be a fuss.
The Steamatic enables you to clean any carpet with the minimum of fuss.
2 . attention or excitement that is usually unnecessary or unwelcome:
They wanted a quiet wedding without any fuss.
Until I heard her sing I couldn’t see what all the fuss was about (=why people liked it so much) .
3 . make a fuss/kick up a fuss (about something) to complain or become angry about something, especially when this is not necessary:
Josie kicked up a fuss because the soup was too salty.
I don’t know why you’re making such a fuss about it.
4 . make a fuss of somebody/something British English , make a fuss over somebody/something American English to pay a lot of attention to someone or something, to show that you are pleased with them or like them:
Make a fuss of your dog when he behaves properly.
II. fuss 2 BrE AmE verb [intransitive]
1 . to worry a lot about things that may not be very important:
I wish you’d stop fussing – I’ll be perfectly all right.
2 . to pay too much attention to small unimportant details
fuss with/around/about
Paul was fussing with his clothes, trying to get his tie straight.
3 . American English to behave in an unhappy or angry way:
The baby woke up and started to fuss.
fuss over somebody/something phrasal verb
to pay a lot of attention or too much attention to someone or something, especially to show that you are pleased with them or like them:
His aunts fussed over him all the time.