to call a spade a spade
11call a spade a spade — speak bluntly He was calling a spade a spade when he began to criticize his employee for being lazy …
12Call a spade a spade — A person who calls a spade a spade is one speaks frankly and makes little or no attempt to conceal their opinions or to spare the feelings of their audience …
13call a spade a spade — phrasal 1. to call a thing by its right name however coarse 2. to speak frankly …
14call a spade a spade — Meaning To speak plainly to describe something as it really is. Origin It pre dates the slang use of the term spade meaning Negro as exemplified in as black as the ace of spades . In use since at least 300BC …
15call a spade a spade — speak plainly and frankly. → spade …
16To call a spade a spade — is to speak honestly and directly about a topic, specifically topics that others may avoid speaking about due to their sensitivity or embarrassing nature. Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1913) defines it asIts ultimate source is Plutarch …
17Call a spade a spade — state things as they are; be bluntly matter of fact …
18call a spade a spade — Australian Slang state things as they are; be bluntly matter of fact …
19call a spade a spade — speak honestly, say what one truly feels, speak openly …
20call a spade a spade — to say very directly what you think about someone or something even if this is rude …