make a meal of

Definitions

1. 1

   To spend more time and energy on some task than it warrants

   To spend more time and energy on some task than it warrants; to make something overly complicated; to make a big thing out of.

   • Some people can make a meal out of the simplest task. If you give it to a busy person, they don’t have time to muck around on the edges and worry about it — they’ll just do it.
   • They both looked good – I would have been happy with either version. There was no point in making a meal of the decision, so I just picked up the one which was nearest to me on the desk and said, ‘We’ll go with this one.’
   • page 131: And if he preferred Viva, fine. She wasn't going to make a meal of it or even give them the satisfaction of a scene. page 524: Make it quick and painless, she'd told herself, don't make a meal of it.
2. 2

   To eat something as a meal.

   • Don't walk near the tiger: it'll make a meal of you.

The neighborhood