called a spade a shovel

A form of call a spade a shovel — To put it more than bluntly; to express a truth forcefully; to use exaggerated language to make a statement of fact.

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Meanings

verbcalled a
  1. participlepastsimple past and past participle of call a spade a shovel
Cite this entry
APA

called a spade a shovel. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/called%20a%20spade%20a%20shovel

MLA

“called a spade a shovel.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/called%20a%20spade%20a%20shovel. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “called a spade a shovel,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/called%20a%20spade%20a%20shovel.

Source: called a spade a shovel on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.