Call A Spade A Spade, To 🪓
To speak frankly and bluntly, to be quite explicit. The term dates from the sixteenth century, but its roots may stretch back to Greek and Roman times. One translation of Cicero’s Ad Familiares reads, “Here is your Stoic disquisition… ‘the wise man will call a spade a spade.’” There are numerous mentions throughout the 1500s, such as John Taverner’s “Whiche call… a mattok nothing els but a mattok, and a spade a spade” (Garden of Wysdome, 1539), with later uses by literary giants like Ben Jonson, Robert Burton, Jonathan Swift, Charles Dickens, and Mark Twain.
A cliché since the nineteenth century, it acquired a more sinister meaning only when the word ‘spade’ morphed into an offensive slang term for a black person.
Related Terms, Synonyms, and Similar Expressions
- Plain Talking: Synonymous with being straightforward.
- Speaking One’s Mind: Relates to expressing truth without sugarcoating.
- Cut to the Chase: Skipping unnecessary details and getting straight to the point.
- Tell It Like It Is: A no-nonsense expression of honesty.
- Getting Down To Brass Tacks: Getting to the fundamentals or core issues.
- Straight From The Shoulder: A phrase emphasizing directness and honesty.
Antonyms
- Beating Around the Bush: Being indirect in addressing a topic.
- Sugarcoating: Making something seem more palatable than it really is.
- Euphemizing: Using mild terms to disguise the harshness of reality.
Humor-Filled Quotes
- “I always call a spade a spade. I don’t twiddle with words or tinker with truth, just to please souls who prefer their butter without bread.”
- “Call a spade a spade? Sure, as long as the spade doesn’t have feelings.”
Literature, Books, Poems, and Movies to Explore 📝
- 🎥 The Invention of Lying (2009): A comedic take on a world where no one lies.
- 📖 Honest Illusions by Nora Roberts: A novel layering magic, heists, and unexpected honesty.
- 📝 A Modest Proposal by Jonathan Swift: Non-fiction that unflinchingly presents satirical truth.
- 📚 To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: A deep dive into honesty and morality.
Inspirational Thought to Ponder 🌟
As we journey through life, sometimes the greatest act of courage is the willingness to speak our truth, no matter the cost. A single honest word can inspire a world of change.
— Ethan Candidheart
