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break the news

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break the news (to someone)

to tell someone some important news, usually bad news. The doctor had to break the news to Jane about her husband's cancer. I hope that the doctor broke the news gently.

See also: break, news

break the news

to make known new information Detectives broke the news to Mrs. Allen that her husband's body had been identified.

Usage notes: usually said about information that causes sadness or worry

See also: break, news

break the news

Make something known, as in We suspected that she was pregnant but waited for her to break the news to her in-laws. This term, in slightly different form ( break a matter or break a business), dates from the early 1500s. Another variant is the 20th-century journalistic phrase, break a story, meaning "to reveal a news item or make it available for publication."

See also: break, news