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fuss and feathers
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noun
an excessively elaborate or pretentious display; ostentation.
QUIZ
THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
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In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…
Origin of fuss and feathers
First recorded in 1890–95
Words nearby fuss and feathers
fusion, nuclear, fusion reactor, fusobacteria, fusor, fuss, fuss and feathers, fussbox, fussbudget, fusspot, fussy, fustanella
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Other Idioms and Phrases with fuss and feathers
fuss and feathers
Needless commotion and display, as in There was so much fuss and feathers over the award ceremony that I decided not to attend. This expression probably survives because of its appealing alliteration. [Mid-1800s]
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.