news
(it's) news to (one)
This is something I was not aware about or did not know. A: "Yeah, Jeff and Anthony have been going out for a few months now." B: "It's news to me. I thought they were just friends." We're not allowed to dump grass clippings here? Hmm, news to me!
See also: news
(that's) news to (one)
This is something I was not aware about or did not know. A: "Yeah, Jeff and Anthony have been going out for a few months now." B: "News to me. I thought they were just friends." We're not allowed to dump grass clippings here? That's news to me!
See also: news
bad news
1. slang Someone or something that is, or is perceived as, unpleasant or unsavory. Stay away from that gang of kids from the other side of town—they're bad news. Coach lets me play a lot, so if he gets fired, it will be bad news for me. Our wedding is this weekend, so a snowstorm would be bad news indeed!
2. euphemism The cost of something. I got the receipt so we can see the bad news.
See also: bad, news
bad news travels fast
Bad news circulates quickly (because people are apt to hear it and then share it with others). A: "How does the whole school already know that I got suspended?" B: "Well, bad news travels fast."
See also: bad, fast, news, travel
be bad news
slang To be, or be perceived as, unpleasant or unsavory. Stay away from that gang of kids from the other side of town—they're bad news. Coach lets me play a lot, so if he gets fired, it will be bad news for me. Our wedding is this weekend, so a snowstorm would be bad news indeed!
See also: bad, news
be good news
To be beneficial to someone or something. This storm changing direction is really good news for those of us on the coast.
See also: good, news
be news to (one)
To be something that one was not aware of or did not know. A: "Yeah, Jeff and Anthony have been going out for a few months now." B: "Well, that's news to me. I thought they were just friends." You aren't allowed to dump your grass clippings here? Well, that's news to me!
See also: news
bearer of bad news
Literally, someone who delivers bad news. The bearer often identifies as such as an introductory warning that they have bad news to deliver. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I'm afraid your grandfather passed away late last night. We were celebrating our teacher's absence until Susie, the bearer of bad news, told us that the principal was coming to give us our exam.
See also: bad, bearer, news, of
break the news
To reveal information, often that which is bad or upsetting. Who is going to break the news of her husband's accident? Your mother is going to be furious if she learns of our engagement from someone else—you have to break the news to her first!
See also: break, news
break the news to (one)
To reveal information to one, often that which is bad or upsetting. Who is going to break the news of the accident to Millie? Your mother is going to be furious if she learns of our engagement from someone else—you have to break the news to her first!
See also: break, news
fake news
1. Fabricated news reports presented as authentic. As they aim to drive web traffic to the providing website, they often have provocative headlines. That story is clearly fake news, spreading lies in support of a thinly-veiled political agenda.
2. By extension, any news report that one judges to be biased or inaccurate. That article came from a legitimate site, so you can't just dismiss it as fake news.
See also: fake, news
go abroad and you'll hear news of home
proverb Once one is no longer at home, one becomes more interested or invested in news of home and family as it circulates second-hand. A: "Are you sure that Sir Gregory is selling the estate?" B: "Indeed. Go abroad and you'll hear news of home, my good man."
See also: abroad, and, go, hear, home, news, of
Have I got (something) for you!
A phrase used before one reveals something that is particularly exciting or surprising. Oh boy, have I got news for you—Becca's engaged! A: "Have I got something for you!" B: "Brownies! Yay, thank you!"
See also: have
have I got news for you
Used to indicate that one is about to reveal something they expect will be very surprising to the other person. A: "I've always wanted to see Paris." B: "Well then have I got news for you! We're going there this summer for our anniversary!" A: "The company should survive the quarter financially, so long as nothing disrupts our production schedule." B: "Hoo boy, have I got news for you."
See also: have, news
make news
To garner attention and be the topic of conversation. Sam's sudden resignation really made news today—everyone in the office is talking about it!
See also: make, news
new up
informal In computer programming, to create a new instance of a class using the keyword "new" in the constructor. A noun or pronoun can be used between "new" and "up." Newing up objects can seem like handy shortcut, but it often puts a heavy burden on memory management. You should really inject the context instead of newing it up in the constructor.
See also: new, up
newshound
A news journalist who is exceptionally aggressive, vigorous, or persistent in the pursuit of a story or its details. He's gotten a reputation as being a bit of a newshound at these conventions, so most politicians try avoid him altogether. Look, I've got enough issues on my plate without having some newshound like you barging in here harassing me to get a quote.
No news is good news
If you hear nothing or receive no updates, it means that everything is going as it should and nothing bad has happened. We should be able to maintain production as expected, so for now no news is good news. My son has been living abroad for nearly 10 years now. At first I used to get anxious when I didn't hear from him, but now I know that no news is good news.
See also: good, news, no
yesterday's news
Someone or something that is no longer receiving or worthy of public interest, importance, or influence. I don't know why you're still campaigning for that hack—he's yesterday's news. The once-prominent social media platform is now yesterday's news among a new generation of smartphone users.
See also: news
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
Bad news travels fast.
Prov. Information about trouble or misfortune disseminates quickly (more quickly than good news). John: Hi, Andy. I'm sorry to hear you got fired. Andy: How did you know about that already? It only happened this morning. John: Bad news travels fast. I called my mother to tell her about my car accident, but my aunt had already told her. Bad news travels fast.
See also: bad, fast, news, travel
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
No news is good news
. Not hearing any news signifies that nothing is wrong. Fred: I wonder if Jill is doing all right in her new job. Jane: No news is good news. Jane: I'm worried about my sister. She hasn't called me for months. Alan: No news is good news, right?
See also: good, news, no
That's news to me.
I did not know that.; I had not been informed of that. Bill: They've blocked off Maple Street for some repairs. Tom: That's news to me. Sally: The telephones are out. None of them work. Bill: That's news to me.
See also: news
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
bad news
1. An unwelcome thing or person, trouble. For example, That fire was bad news; we were underinsured for the damage, or No one wants Mary on the board-she's bad news. This term transfers literal bad news-the report of an unhappy recent event-to an unwanted or undesirable individual or circumstance. [Slang; 1920s]
2. The amount charged for something, as in Waiter, bring our check-I want to see the bad news. [Slang; 1920s]
See also: bad, 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
no news is good news
Having no information means that bad developments are unlikely, as in I haven't heard from them in a month, but no news is good news. This proverbial phrase may have originated with King James I of England, who allegedly said "No news is better than evil news" (1616).
See also: good, news, no
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
be bad news
COMMON If you say that someone is bad news, you mean that they have a bad character and are likely to cause trouble. We've separated and I'm glad. He was bad news.
See also: bad, news
be news to someone
COMMON If someone says something and you say that it is news to you, you mean that you did not know about it before. So she's an experienced babysitter, is she? This is news to me. People have been telling me I've been in meetings about selling my business. All I can say is that it's news to me. Note: You usually use this expression to express surprise at what has been said, or to suggest that it may not be true.
See also: news, someone
break the news
COMMON If you break the news, you tell someone about something, especially something bad. I went up to Santa Monica to break the news to her that I'd left my job.
See also: break, news
no news is good news
You say no news is good news to mean that if you do not hear new information about a situation, it is probably because nothing bad has happened. I had heard nothing all week. `Oh well,' I thought. `No news is good news.' Note: People sometimes vary this expression, for example saying no news is bad news meaning that a lack of information about a situation is worrying. People always suspect that no news is bad news. No news is not always good news.
See also: good, news, no
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
be bad news
be a problem or handicap. informal 1996 City Paper (Baltimore) From the moment we see Mark Wahlberg… surrounded by pool-hall scumbags, we know he's bad news.
See also: bad, news
be good news
be an asset; be commendable or admirable. informalSee also: good, news
be news to
be information not previously known to (someone), and perhaps regarded as implausible. informal 2004 NZine – New Zealand Ezine This was the first we had heard about it, and indeed it was news to the local community and the Hurunui District Council.
See also: news
no news is good news
without information to the contrary you can assume that all is well. proverbSee also: good, news, no
yesterday's news
a person or thing that is no longer of interest.See also: news
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
be bad ˈnews (for somebody/something)
be likely to cause problems for somebody/something: Central heating is bad news for indoor plants.See also: bad, news
be good ˈnews (for somebody/something)
be likely to be helpful or give an advantage for somebody/something: The cut in interest rates is good news for homeowners.See also: good, news
break the ˈnews (to somebody)
be the first to tell somebody some bad news: I’m sorry to be the one to break the news.See also: break, news
it’s/that’s ˌnews to ˈme
used to express surprise at some information that you have just heard: ‘Max is thinking of leaving his job.’ ‘Really? That’s news to me. I thought he was happy there.’See also: news
ˌno news is ˈgood news
(saying) if there were bad news you would hear it, so if you have not heard anything that means everything must be all right: He’s been in the mountains for a week without contacting us. I just hope no news is good news.See also: good, news, no
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
bad news
1. n. the bill for something. Here comes the bad news.
2. mod. unpleasant; unfortunate; repellent. That poor guy is really bad news.
See also: bad, news
newshound
n. a newspaper reporter who pursues a story with the same diligence used by a bloodhound. Tell that newshound that I’ll sue her if she prints that!
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
bad news/good news
Also, good news/bad news. This phrase and its reverse are generally used to make an announcement of both unfavorable and favorable circumstances. The “good news” generally mitigates the “bad news,” as in “You got a D-minus on the math test but an A on your English essay.” A twentieth-century usage, it is often found in headlines, such as “Sports Redux: Good News, Bad News,” reporting a baseball game in which the Red Sox led in runs but their pitcher then allowed the Rays enough runs to win. Similarly, a New York Times column by Thomas L. Friedman remarked on the arrest of eleven Russian sleeper agents: “. . . this is actually a good news/bad news story. The good news is that someone still wants to spy on us. The bad news is that it’s the Russians” (July 14, 2010).
See also: bad, good, news
no news is good news
To hear nothing means that all is well. This proverbial phrase dates from the early seventeenth century. King James I is supposed to have said, in 1616, “No newis is bettir than evill newis,” and the adage has been quoted again and again over the centuries, by James Howell, Charles Dickens, and Noël Coward, among others.
See also: good, news, no
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
- (I) hope not
- hope not
- not for a second
- not for a minute
- not for a moment
- aint
- ain't
- not for a/one minute/moment/second/instant
- not for a instant
- not by any means