call a spade a spade

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb

To put it bluntly, to be outspoken; to speak the truth, to describe things as they really are.

Pronunciation

en-au-call a spade a spade.ogg

Word forms

call a spade a spade calls a spade a spade calling a spade a spade called a spade a spade call a spade a spade and a shovel a shovel call a shovel a shovel call a spade a spade, not a big spoon call a spoon a “spoon” and a spade a “spade”

Etymology

A mistaken translation of Ancient Greek τὰ σῦκα σῦκα, τὴν σκάφην δὲ σκάφην ὀνομάσων (tà sûka sûka, tḕn skáphēn dè skáphēn onomásōn, “calling figs figs, and a trough a trough”). The word σκάφη (skáphē, “trough”) was mistranslated by the Renaissance scholar Desiderius Erasmus as σκαφείον (skapheíon, “digging tool”).

Related words

spadish

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