[make a fuss over] <v. phr.> 1. To quarrel about something or someone. * /I want you kids to stop fussing about who gets the drumstick./ 2. To he excessively concerned about someone or something; worry. * /Let's not fuss over such an insignificant problem!/ 3. To show exaggerated care or preoccupation about a person or an animal. * /Aunt Hermione is constantly fussing over her old lapdog./
[make a go of] <v. phr.> To turn into a success. * /He is both energetic and highly skilled at trading; he is sure to make a go of any business that holds his interest./
[make a hit] <v. phr.>, <informal> To be successful; be well-liked; get along well. * /Mary's new red dress made a hit at the party./ * /Alice was so happy that her boyfriend made a hit with her parents./ Compare: GO OVER(6).
[make a killing] <v. phr.> To earn or suddenly win a very large sum of money. * /Herb bought a lot of soybean stock when the price was low and sold it when the price went up. Small wonder he made a huge killing./
[make a living] <v. phr.> To earn one's livelihood. * /If you're good at your job, you can make a better living than if you don't know what you're doing./ * /It is easier to make a living in the United States than in many other countries./
[make allowance] <v. phr.> To judge results by the circumstances. Often used in plural. * /When a small boy is helping you, you must make allowances for his age./
[make a long story short] <v. phr.> To summarize a lengthy narrative. * /"So, to make a long story short," he said, "I made a killing on the stock market."/ Compare: IN A NUTSHELL.
[make a match] <v. phr.> To bring a man and woman together for the purpose of an engagement or marriage. * /Sheila's aunt is anxious to make a match between her and an attractive, wealthy man./
[make a mess of] See: SCREW UP.
[make a monkey of] See: MAKE A FOOL OF.
[make a motion] <v. phr.> To propose in some committee meeting or legislative group that a certain action be taken. * /The secretary made a motion that the minutes of the last meeting be accepted./
[make a mountain out of a molehill] To think a small problem is a big one; try to make something unimportant seem important. * /You're not hurt badly, Johnny. Stop trying to make a mountain out of a molehill with crying./ * /Sarah laughed at a mistake Betty made in class, and Betty won't speak to her; Betty is making a mountain out of a molehill./
[make a move] <v. phr.> 1. To budge; change places. * /"If you make a move," the masked gangster said, "I'll start shooting."/ 2. To go home after dinner or a party. * /"I guess it's time to make a move," Roy said at the end of the party./
[make a name for oneself] <v. phr.> To become recognized in a field of endeavor; become a celebrity. * /Joe has worked so hard at soybean trading that he made quite a name for himself as a trader./ * /Bill has made a name for himself both as a pianist and as a composer./
[make an appearance] See: PUT IN AN APPEARANCE.
[make an end of] <v. phr.> To make (something) end; put a stop to; stop. * /To make an end of rumors that the house was haunted, a reporter spent the night there./
[make an example of] <v. phr.> To punish (someone) publicly to show what happens when someone does wrong. * /The teacher made an example of the boy who copied from another student during a test./ * /The Pilgrims made an example of a thief by putting him in the stocks./
[make an exhibition of oneself] <v. phr.> To behave foolishly or embarrassingly in public. * /Stop drinking so much and making an exhibition of yourself./
[make a night of it] <v. phr.>, <informal> To spend the whole night at an activity. * /The dog found the door unlatched and made a night of it./ * /The boys and girls at the dance made a night of it./ Compare: MAKE A DAY OF IT.
[make a nuisance of oneself] <v. phr.> To constantly bother others. * /The screaming kids made a nuisance of themselves around the swimming pool./
[make a pass at] <v. phr.>, <slang>, <informal> Make advances toward a member of the opposite sex (usually man to a woman) with the goal of seducing the person. * /We've been dating for four weeks but Joe has never even made a pass at me./
[make a pig of oneself] <v. phr.>, <informal> To overindulge; eat too much. * /Mary said, "This dessert is so delicious that I am going to make a pig of myself and have some more."/
[make a play for] <v. phr.>, <slang> To try to get the interest or liking of; flirt with; attract. * /Bob made a play for the pretty new girl./ * /John made a play for the other boys' votes for class president./
[make a point] <v. phr.> To try hard; make a special effort. - Used with "of" and a verbal noun. * /He made a point of remembering to get his glasses fixed./ * /He made a point of thanking his hostess before he left the party./
[make a practice of] <v. phr.> To make a habit of; do regularly. * /Make a practice of being on time for work./
[make a quick buck] See: FAST BUCK.
[make a racket] <v. phr.> To cause a lot of noisy disturbance. * /I wish the kids playing in the street wouldn't make such a racket while I'm trying to take a nap./
[make a scene] <v. phr.> To act hysterically; attract unfavorable attention. * /I didn't want Kate to make a scene in front of all of those people, so I gave her the money she wanted./
[make a splash] <v. phr.> To cause a sensation. * /The brilliant young pianist, barely 14 years old, made quite a splash on the concert circuit./
[make a stab at] <v. phr.> To try doing something at random without sufficient preparation. * /The singer was not familiar with the aria but she decided to make a stab at it anyhow./ Contrast: STAB IN THE BACK, STAB IN THE DARK.
[make a stand] <v. phr.> 1. To take a firm position on an issue. * /He keeps talking about politics hut he never makes a stand for what he believes in./ 2. To take up a defensive position against the enemy. * /The retreating troops decided to make a stand by the river./ Contrast: LAST DITCH, LAST STAND.
[make a stir] See: MAKE A SCENE.
[make a touch] <v. phr.> To borrow money; try to borrow money. * /He is known to make a touch whenever he is hard up for cash./
[make a virtue of necessity] <v. phr.> Make the best of things as they are; do cheerfully what you do. * /After Mr. Wilson lost all his money, he made a virtue of necessity and found a new and interesting life as a teacher./ Compare: MAKE THE BEST OF.
[make away with] <v.>, <informal> Take; carry away; cause to disappear. * /The lumberjack made away with a great stack of pancakes./ * /Two masked men held up the clerk and made away with the payroll./ Compare: MAKE OFF.
[make-believe] <n.> False; untrue; created by illusion. * /The creatures of Star Wars are all make-believe./
[make believe] <v.> To act as if something is true while one knows it is not; pretend. * /Let's make believe we have a million dollars./ * /Danny made believe he didn't hear his mother calling./
[make book] <v. phr.> To serve as a bookmaker taking bets on the horse races. * /The police were out to prosecute anybody who made book illegally./
[make both ends meet] See: MAKE ENDS MEET.
[make bricks without straw] <v. phr.> To make something without the wherewithal; do something the hard way; do a job under hard conditions. * /John could not go to a library, and writing the report was a job of making bricks without straw./ * /It was making bricks without straw to put on plays in that old barn./
[make conversation] <v. phr.> To talk with someone just so that there will be talk. * /John made conversation with the stranger so that he would not feel left out./ * /Mary didn't really mean what she said about Joan. She was only making conversation./
[make do] <v. phr.> To use a poor substitute when one does not have the right thing. * /John did not have a hammer, and he had to make do with a heavy rock./ * /This motel isn't what we wanted, but we must make do./ * /Many families manage to make do on very little income./ Compare: GET ALONG.
[make ends meet] <v. phr.> To have enough money to pay one's bills; earn what it costs to live. * /Both husband and wife had to work to make ends meet./
[make eyes at] <v. phr.>, <informal> To look at a girl or boy in a way that tries to attract him to you; flirt. * /The other girls disliked her way of making eyes at their boyfriends instead of finding one of her own./
[make faces at] <v. phr.> To grimace; scowl. * /"Stop making faces at each other, you children," my aunt said, "and start eating."/
[make for] <v.> To go toward; start in the direction of. * /The children took their ice skates and made for the frozen pond./ * /The bee got his load of pollen and made for the hive./
[make free with] <v.> 1. To take or use (things) without asking. * /Bob makes free with his roommate's clothes./ * /A student should not make free with his teacher's first name./ 2. To act toward (someone) in a rude or impolite way. * /The girls don't like Ted because he makes free with them./ Compare: TAKE LIBERTIES.
[make friends] <v. phr.> To become friends; form a friendship. * /Mrs. Jones invited Bobby to her home to play with Don. She hoped that they would make friends with each other./ * /You can make friends with an elephant by giving him peanuts./
[make fun of] or [poke fun at] <v. phr.>, <informal> To joke about; laugh at; tease; mock. * /Men like to make fun of the trimmings on women's hats./ * /James poked fun at the new pupil because her speech was not like the other pupils./