He always calls a spade a spade, even when it hurts.
call a spade a spade
idiomTo put it bluntly, to be outspoken; to speak the truth, to describe things as they really are.
Origin
disputed originA 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”).
During the meeting, she decided to call a spade a spade and told the team that the project was failing.
Rather than masking the harsh reality with polite euphemisms, the veteran journalist preferred to call a spade a spade in his final report.
- 01
answer the call of nature
To satisfy a bodily urge to urinate or defecate.
- 02
call a lid
To inform the press that no further news will be released from a governmental body that day.
- 03
call an audible
To change plans at the last minute in response to new information.
- 04
call it
To call it a day
- 05
call it a day
To cease an activity.
- 06
call it a night
To go to bed to sleep.
- 07
call it an early night
To go to bed or cease one's activities earlier in the evening than usual.
- 08
call it stumps
To decide to end an activity; to call it a day.