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Where did the term call a spade a spade come from?
The idiom call a spade a spade has its roots in Classical Greece. To call a spade a spade means to speak the unvarnished truth, to speak plainly and without embellishment and without softening the hard realities of that truth.
Who call a spade a spade idiom meaning?
phrase. If you say that someone calls a spade a spade, you mean that they speak clearly and directly about things, even embarrassing or unpleasant things. [approval] I’m not at all secretive, and I’m pretty good at calling a spade a spade.
How do you call a spade a spade?
Example Sentences
- That dress made her look fat, let’s call a spade a spade before she goes out wearing it and embarrasses herself.
- He failed the exam twice. If you were to call a spade a spade then you would not push him to give it again.
- Parents are often reluctant to see any faults in their children.
Who is a spade person?
Slang: Extremely Disparaging and Offensive. a contemptuous term used to refer to a Black person.
What does spading mean in slang?
Offensive Slang Used as a disparaging term for a black person. Idiom: in spades.
How do you use call a spade a spade in a sentence?
3. I’m not at all secretive, and I’m pretty good at calling a spade a spade. 4. Why not call a spade a spade and say that she’s incompetent, if that what you’re thinking.
What is the meaning of cut a sorry figure?
The phrase “to cut a sorry figure” means to create an unfavourable impression or present oneself poorly or negatively.
What is the slang word for spade?
Most Americans also know that spade is a rather outmoded derogatory slang term for an African-American. Putting the two ideas together, though, requires a person whose sensitivity to possibly offensive language is greater than their knowledge of word history.
What is the correct meaning of the word spade?
1 : a digging implement adapted for being pushed into the ground with the foot. 2 : a spade-shaped instrument. spade. verb. spaded; spading.
What does ♠ mean in texting?
♠️ Meaning – Spade Suit Emoji ♠️ It shows a full black spade. This emoji represents the suit of spades used in playing cards. Spade Suit Emoji is mostly associated with poker and card game texts. The Spade Suit Emoji appeared in 1993, and also known as the Spades Symbol.
What is a spade in England?
British English: spade /speɪd/ NOUN. A spade is a tool used for digging, with a flat metal blade and a long handle.
Does the idiom a spade work in a sentence?
Likened to working the soil with a spade when preparing to plant something. If you are looking to start your own business, you have to be sure to do the spadework first. I was up all night doing the spadework for my first case as a lawyer.
Why do we say call a spade a spade?
To call a spade a spade means to speak the unvarnished truth, to speak plainly and without embellishment and without softening the hard realities of that truth. The term to c all a spade a spade has its roots in Ancient Greece, in a phrase found in Plutarch’s Apophthegmata Laconic: “…to call a fig a fig and a trough a trough.”
What does it mean to “call a spade a spade”?
To “call a spade a spade” is a phrase meaning to speak bluntly or frankly about a subject and often refers to a topic that is embarrassing in nature and no one wants to address.
Can we call a spade a spade?
A spade can be a shovel, a suit in a standard deck of cards, or a derogatory term for a black person, and we can call a spade a spade. But what do any of these spades have to do with one another? It turns out that English has two different words that are spelled spade that people often conflate.
What is the origin of a spade?
Early Origins of the Spade family. The surname Spade was first found in Bavaria, where the name Spaeth was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area.