to broach the subject
6
6.7
- phrasal verb
- /broʊtʃ ðə ˈsʌbdʒɪkt/
:
plantear el tema
- "Where... was he?" I said, finally broaching the subject we had so far avoided.
And it was a completely outside his morality and mine to even broach the subject.
- And it was a completely outside his morality and mine to even broach the subject.
Examples
-
And, um, I don't quite know how to broach the subject.
-
If a researcher could interview people with AIDS, could she broach the subject of risky sex?
Academic text (2006) -
Do I broach the subject or do you?
-
But we have a lot of work to do before we even broach the subject.
Fiction book (2000) -
One night I did broach the subject of the Christmas dance.
Fiction book (1994) -
From that point on, we never broached the subject, like two people who had fallen off a diet.
Fiction book (1991) -
During his 2006 visit to the United States, Hu went out of his way to broach the subject at each stop.
Academic text (2008) -
Just last month, Shana had come home in a particularly nasty mood, and Lily had broached the subject again.
Fiction book (1993) -
In conversation with some Beijing University professors, I gently broached the subject of China's harsh treatment of Tibet.
Academic text (1990) -
During our meeting, I finally decided to broach the subject of my promotion.
Synonyms
∞
1.3
Speak with someone about a subject
∞
1.6
To talk with other people about something, often in detail
788
2.6
To mention a subject for discussion
23
7.4
To bring up a difficult or sensitive subject
22
3.7
To bring up a topic or problem for discussion
5
3.9
To present an idea or plan for people to discuss
Antonyms
How Direct
310
4.1
211
3.9
6
6.7
788
2.6
∞
1.0
229
1.5
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'to bring up or introduce a topic' is directly derivable from combining 'broach' (to bring up a delicate or awkward matter) with 'the subject' (a topic). This follows a standard verb + noun composition and is conceptually transparent, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words would understand the MWE.
Etymology
Broach the subject may come from the old act of broaching a wooden barrel: someone would pierce a sealed barrel to let wine or beer flow out. That's why today the phrase means 'to bring up' a topic, often one that is difficult or sensitive.