call a spade a spade

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Fig. to call something by its right name; to speak frankly about something, even if it is unpleasant. (Considered offensive by some. Use only with discretion.) Well, I believe it's time to call a spade a spade. We are just avoiding the issue. Let's call a spade a spade. The man is a liar.

See also: call, spade

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The man who could call a spade a spade should be compelled to use one. The Picture Of Dorian Gray by Wilde, Oscar View in context Let them discriminate between what they remember and what they dreamed, call a spade a spade, give us facts, and honor their own senses with trust. Essays, First Series by Emerson, Ralph Waldo View in context			by yourselves bye byway C'est la vie caboodle cack-handed cadge from Caesar's wife must be above suspicion cage cage in cage up cahoots cajole cajole into cajole out of cake cake with calculate calculate into calculate on call call a halt call a halt to call a meeting call a meeting to order and call the meeting to order call a spade a spade call about Call again call around call at some place call attention to call away call back call bluff call by a name call down call for call forth call forward call hogs call in call in chips call in sick call into call into question call it a day call it a night call it quits Call my service call names Call no man happy till he dies			Calking iron calkins Calkins Road Middle School Calkins, Elmo Calkins, Mary Whiton calks calks calks call call call call call call call Call (disambiguation) Call (disambiguation) Call (disambiguation) Call (disambiguation) Call (disambiguation) call (someone's) bluff call (someone's) bluff call (someone's) bluff call (someone's) bluff call (someone's) bluff call a halt call a halt call a halt to call a meeting call a meeting to order and call the meeting to order call a spade a spade call about Call Acceptance Delay Call Accepted Call Accepted Message Call Access Manager Call accounting Call Accounting and Billing Call Accounting Gateway Call Accounting Reconclliation Process Call Accounting Subsystem Call Accounting System Call Admission Control Call Admission Control Scheme Call Admission Precedence Call again Call Agent Call Agent call alarm Call Allocation Call Allocation Routing Call an option call and response call announcer Call Any Time Call Appearance Call Handling

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