Idioms:

to make a meal of / out of (something)

This expression means something like; to exaggerate the effects of an action, to overdo something, to do more than is required, to make something seem more complicated or serious than it really is.

• When little Johnny fell over and hurt his leg I thought he had broken it because he was screaming so loud and hard. However he was making a meal of his injury because he had only bruised his shin.

• D:- Oh, I'm so nervous about tomorrow. I just know I'll make a complete fool of myself. What if they ask me some really difficult questions that I can't answer? Maybe I should telephone the company and cancel the interview tomorrow, I'll tell them that I'm ill and ............
• M:- Calm down, will you! It's only an interview. Stop making such a meal out of it. You're an intelligent young woman. You'll be just fine.

• - and Ronaldo runs into the penalty area with the ball at his feet - Nakazawa tackles - and Ronaldo goes down - he's writhing around on the ground - is it a penalty - no - the referee thinks that Ronaldo is making a meal of the tackle and he waves play on -

• A:- What did Dave say when you told him you couldn't go to the party with him at the weekend?
• B:- Oh, he's so immature! He kept saying that it meant I didn't love him any more and that I wanted to date someone else, and, oh, he really made a big meal out of it.

• The media made a big meal out of David Beckham's recent visit to Japan.

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