Comprehensive resource for understanding and mastering English idioms
To break the news means to tell someone something important or new that they have not yet been informed about. It can also mean to reveal a secret or confidential information.
The idiom "break the news" dates back to the 19th century and was first used in a medical context. It referred to informing someone about a diagnosis or treatment that they had not yet been told. The phrase then expanded to include any kind of important information that needed to be shared. In modern times, the idiom has taken on a broader meaning and is often used in various contexts, from personal news to breaking stories in the media.