bad news—(U.S. coll.) said of things, people, or places that are unpleasant or undesirable:
- Milly these days was plain bad news. Her fascination had evaporated.
what’s the bad news—(U.S. joc.) what do I owe:
- After the clerk had run up all of the clothing Meg had selected, her mother nervously asked what the bad news was.