cut up rough

cut up rough (third-person singular simple present cuts up rough, present participle cutting up rough, simple past and past participle cut up rough)

1. (colloquial, idiomatic) To become angry; to make a fuss.
   • 2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin, published 2003, page 385:

     As anticipated, however, the Parlement cut up rough over a new stamp duty on public and printed documents […]

   • 2011 June 21, Larry Elliott, The Guardian:

     Third, while there is no immediate risk of Greece being kicked out of the club, such a threat could materialise if German taxpayers were to cut up rough and exert real political pressure on Angela Merkel's government.

• cut up nasty