call a spade a shovel

English

Alternative forms

• call a spade a bloody shovel
• call a spade a fucking shovel

Etymology

From call a spade a spade.

Verb

call a spade a shovel (third-person singular simple present calls a spade a shovel, present participle calling a spade a shovel, simple past and past participle called a spade a shovel)

1. To put it more than bluntly; to express a truth forcefully; to use exaggerated language to make a statement of fact.