make a stink
make a stink · makes a stink · made a stink · making a stink
To complain; to demand attention or remedy for a problemTo complain; to demand attention or remedy for a problem.
» Soft healers make stinking wounds.
Martha · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FRMeaning
1 senses(colloquial)To complain; to demand attention or remedy for a problem.
If nothing happens when you ask nicely, make a stink until something gets done.
More definitions
- take strong and forceful action, as to object or express discontent
Examples
1 sentencesSoft healers make stinking wounds.
Forms
makes a stink, making a stink, made a stink, made a stink| Base form | make a stink · to make a stink |
|---|---|
| 3rd person singular | makes a stink |
| Present participle | making a stink |
| Past simple | made a stink |
| Past participle | made a stink |
irregular · Lesson
Synonyms
2 synonymsClose in meaning
- take strong and forceful action, as to object or express discontent:raise hellraise a stink
Lessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, irregular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle
See also
neighbours in the dictionaryDictionary text adapted from Wiktionary (Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet / Princeton WordNet (CC BY 4.0, WordNet License); shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences and recordings are credited where they appear.