ado

[ uh-doo ]

noun

1. busy activity or bustle; fuss; bother:

   Much more ado has been made over this allegation than the facts warrant.

   Synonyms: uproar, turmoil, noise, hubbub, excitement, confusion, commotion, to-do, flurry

   Antonyms: tranquility, peace, calm

ado

¹

/ əˈduː /

noun

1. bustling activity; fuss; bother; delay (esp in the phrases without more ado, with much ado )

ADO

²

abbreviation for

1. accumulated day off

Word History and Origins

Origin of ado¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English (north) at do, a phrase equivalent to at “to” (from Old Norse, which used at with the infinitive) + do do ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of ado¹

C14: from the phrase at do a to-do, from Old Norse at to (marking the infinitive) + do ¹

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. without further ado, without additional preamble, preliminaries, or other delay:

   Well, without further ado, let's get down to the details of our master plan.

Synonym Study

Ado, to-do, commotion, stir, tumult suggest a great deal of fuss and noise. Ado implies a confused bustle of activity, a considerable emotional upset, and a great deal of talking: Much Ado About Nothing. To-do, now more commonly used, may mean merely excitement and noise and may be pleasant or unpleasant: a great to-do over a movie star. Commotion suggests a noisy confusion and babble: commotion at the scene of an accident. Stir suggests excitement and noise, with a hint of emotional cause: The report was followed by a tremendous stir in the city. Tumult suggests disorder with noise and violence: a tumult as the mob stormed the Bastille.