to make a stink
4
6.8
- idiom
- Informal
:
hacer ruido
- After the decision was announced, residents started to make a stink to demand changes.
- make a stink and get
Couldn't come back, which he intended to, he intended to come back and go to Washington and, and make a stink and being like this is wrong, you must stop this.
- Couldn't come back, which he intended to, he intended to come back and go to Washington and, and make a stink and being like this is wrong, you must stop this.
- And even though we're treated OK once we're there because they don't want to make a stink as we're white and famous, it's it's still like you said, it, it, it matters.
Examples
-
They're gonna make a stink at the meeting.
-
This woman plans to make a stink.
-
The left media will make a stink about this, but this is the fire that changes votes.
Blog text (13) -
I'm not gonna make a stink.
-
Or he can make a stink with the San Jose government.
Fiction book (1990) -
The EPA is going to make a stink about power lines.
Fiction book (1992) -
All of our career experts agreed that it probably isn't wise to make a stink about the situation.
Blog text (12) -
It wasn't his style to make a stink or even to file an objection of the mildest sort.
Fiction book (2000) -
We need to make a stink about the unfair treatment of workers in the factory.
-
She decided to make a stink at the town hall meeting to address the new policy.
Synonyms
283
3.2
To show strong disagreement in public, often by joining a march or strike
74
3.2
Join a public protest to show strong opposition
51
6.1
To shout loudly to demand something, often with other people
45
4.9
Act loudly in public to show strong feeling and get attention
42
7.1
To complain angrily about something
40
3.6
To show in public that you strongly disagree with something
22
3.0
Complain loudly about something small
15
7.9
Behave loudly and angrily to cause trouble
11
5.6
Complain loudly in public that a decision is unfair
9
7.0
To say your opinion or complain loudly and openly
2
7.4
To complain loudly and make people notice the problem
2
6.4
Complain loudly about something small
1
9.0
To speak or write very angrily against something to show strong criticism
1
9.9
Angrily criticize someone or something
To express a complaint or concern, often publicly
Antonyms
How Loudly
Surface Forms
Morphology
The verb 'make' (cause) combined with 'stink' (bad smell/objectionably bad) yields a metaphorical sense of 'causing an unpleasant situation' rather than a literal smell. The idiomatic reading 'complain or protest loudly' is a figurative extension that is partially guessable from the parts but not fully predictable for a B1 learner without exposure, so it is semi-transparent.
Etymology
Make a stink comes from the image of someone trying to make a strong bad stink so everyone notices. That's why it now means 'to complain loudly' or 'make a public fuss'.