CALL A SPADE A SPADE, CALL THE SHOTS, CAN OF WORMS, OPEN A: American English Idioms #35
CALL A SPADE A SPADE This idiom is used when one wants to be straightforward about someone or something, in opposition to being euphemistic or avoiding the subject. The phrase has origins in ancient Rome, when spades were used in games including trump cards. A “spade” is a shovel used for digging. A spade can…