make a scene

present singular third person makes a scene · participle present making a scene · participle past made a scene · past made a scene

1. idiomaticTo bring unnecessary attention to oneself, especially through a public expression of tumultuous emotion.

   The next time I saw Miss Churm after this incident she surprised me greatly by making a scene about it—she accused me of having wished to humiliate her.

   1893, Henry James, “The Real Thing”, in The Real Thing and Other Tales, New York: Macmillan, page 25

   3 more examples

   I saw, though he tried to conceal it, that he was very much hurt at your behaviour, and I was sure, by his looks, that he did not think my jealous apprehension groundless; however, he protested he did, and persuaded me not to make a scene by arriving her in the middle of the night […]

   1814, Elizabeth Hervey, Amabel; or, Memoirs of a Woman of Fashion, volume 2, part 8, London: Henry Colburn, page 287

   She snuggled against me, while from the other side a boy was amateurishly trying to pick my pocket. I opened my mouth to protest, but thought better of it. Why make a scene at the end of such an enjoyable evening?

   1935, Christopher Isherwood, chapter 3, in Mr Norris Changes Trains, Penguin, published 1961, page 32

   This time I had really hurt my son. Youqing wasn’t upset because I had hit him, but because I had made a scene in front of so many of his teachers and classmates.

   2003, Michael Berry, transl., To Live, New York: Knopf Doubleday, translation of 活着 [Huózhe] by Yu Hua, page 125