federal case
nounEtymology In the United States of America, courts with federal jurisdiction generally are for much more serious offenses than those whose cases are heard by local courts.
- So I didn't put the toilet seat down — you don't have to make a federal case out of it.
- You think I'm some kind of codependent ditz overwhelmed by reality outside of Catholic school, and I'm not supposed to make a federal case out of it?2010, Zachary Klaas, Time Tourists, page 122:
2
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see federal, case.
- Synonyms
- big deal, big thing, production, meal, song and dance
- Related terms
- make a mountain out of a molehill