to-do

plural to-dos · alternative todo

1. A fuss made over something.

   I was embarrassed that they made such a big to-do out of my birthday.

   2 more examples

   Just because the city's throwing you this big to-do, don't think you're something special. You've done absolutely nothing to deserve this.

   2012 April 28, Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, “The Voice in the Night” (14:46 from the start), in Joaquim Dos Santos, Ki Hyun Ryu, directors, The Legend of Korra, season 1, episode 4, spoken by Lin Beifong (Mindy Sterling)

   Last year, Russell Brand caused another to-do. This time he wasn’t playing nasty jokes on Andrew Sachs, or boasting about the millions of people he’d slept with; he wasn’t calling George Bush a “retard”, or giving a Nazi salute at the GQ awards, or turning up to work dressed as Osama bin Laden […] No, this time he simply made a political statement.

   2014 October 11, Simon Hattenstone, “Russell Brand: ‘I want to address the alienation and despair’”, in The Guardian

   Synonyms: ado, bustle, fuss, ado, argy-bargy, bangarang, bobbery, brouhaha

2. A task that has been noted as one that must be completed, especially on a list.

   My to-do list has been growing longer every day.

   1 more example

   I have so many to-dos, I don't know where to start.