Broach the subject

Broach is an old word from The Middle Ages meaning to pierce or thrust through, from the Old French brocher, from which we get the modern culinary term en brochette, meaning “skewered” and broach or brooch as in an ornamental fastening; the latter dates from the late 1400s. To broach a subject is to air it or bring it up for discussion and has been used in this sense since the 16th century. Before this, a piece of meat would be “broached” or “spiked” for spit roasting just as a subject or topic would be thrust forward for discussion.