make a meal (out) of (something)

1. To prepare and eat some food and consider it a full meal, even though it may not resemble a traditional meal. I haven't had a chance to go to the grocery store, but we can probably make a meal out of whatever's left in the fridge. Back in college, we often made a meal of crackers and peanut butter—it was all we could afford!

2. To do more work than is necessary when completing some task. I just need a rough summary of the numbers for the report—don't make a meal out of it.

make a meal of something

1. to eat something. The cat made a meal of the fish. They made a meal of the roast beef and enjoyed it very much.

2. to eat enough of something to consider it or have it as a full meal. I really don't want to make a meal of lettuce alone. Can we make a meal of this turkey, or should we save some for sandwiches?

make a meal of something

make a meal out of something

mainly BRITISH

If someone makes a meal of something or makes a meal out of it, they spend too much time or energy on it. He's only been asked to write a brief essay but he's making such a meal of it. Only spend an hour or so on the task — don't make a meal out of it.

make a meal of

treat a task or occurrence with more attention or care than necessary, especially for effect. British informal

1961 Colin Willock Death in Covert Dyson… was making a meal of everything. He had carefully paced the distance…He had stuck sticks in the ground.

make a ˈmeal of/out of something

(informal) do something with more effort and care than it really needs; treat something as more serious than it really is: Just write her a short note — don’t make a meal of it. It’s only a small mistake. There’s no need to make such a meal out of it, is there? OPPOSITE: make nothing of something (1)

See also: make, meal, of, out, something

Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

See also:

make a meal of
make a meal of something
make a meal of/out of something
eat out
serve (something) for (something or some reason)
serve for
table talk
a square meal
square meal
square meal, a

词组	make a meal (out) of (something)
释义	make a meal (out) of (something) make a meal (out) of (something) 1. To prepare and eat some food and consider it a full meal, even though it may not resemble a traditional meal. I haven't had a chance to go to the grocery store, but we can probably make a meal out of whatever's left in the fridge. Back in college, we often made a meal of crackers and peanut butter—it was all we could afford! 2. To do more work than is necessary when completing some task. I just need a rough summary of the numbers for the report—don't make a meal out of it. See also: make, meal, of Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. make a meal of something 1. to eat something. The cat made a meal of the fish. They made a meal of the roast beef and enjoyed it very much. 2. to eat enough of something to consider it or have it as a full meal. I really don't want to make a meal of lettuce alone. Can we make a meal of this turkey, or should we save some for sandwiches? See also: make, meal, of McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. make a meal of something or make a meal out of something mainly BRITISH If someone makes a meal of something or makes a meal out of it, they spend too much time or energy on it. He's only been asked to write a brief essay but he's making such a meal of it. Only spend an hour or so on the task — don't make a meal out of it. See also: make, meal, of, something Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. make a meal of treat a task or occurrence with more attention or care than necessary, especially for effect. British informal 1961 Colin Willock Death in Covert Dyson… was making a meal of everything. He had carefully paced the distance…He had stuck sticks in the ground. See also: make, meal, of Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary make a ˈmeal of/out of something (informal) do something with more effort and care than it really needs; treat something as more serious than it really is: Just write her a short note — don’t make a meal of it. It’s only a small mistake. There’s no need to make such a meal out of it, is there? OPPOSITE: make nothing of something (1) See also: make, meal, of, out, something Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary See also: make a meal of make a meal of something make a meal of/out of something eat out serve (something) for (something or some reason) serve for table talk a square meal square meal square meal, a
随便看	high spot (of something) high-strung hightail hightail it hightail it out of hightail it out of (somewhere) high time high-ups high ups hi(gh) vis hi(gh) viz high-water mark highway highway robbery highways and byways high, wide, and handsome high-wire act hike hike up hill hill of beans hill of beans, doesn't amount to a/not worth a hill to die on hilt him