spade イディオム
call a spade a spade
"say it in plain language; the straight goods" Kris will report the facts. She's not afraid to call a spade a spade.
spade work
first stage of the work, preparation for later work, pave the way Paul did the spade work for our food bank. He asked each of the merchants for a donation.
In spades
(UK) If you have something in spades, you have a lot of it.
call a spade a spade|call|spade
v. phr. To call a person or thing a name that is true but not polite; speak bluntly; use the plainest language.
A boy took some money from Dick's desk and said he borrowed it, but I told him he stole it; I believe in calling a spade a spade.
do the spadework
do the spadework Make the preliminary preparations or do the preliminary research for something. For example,
The department head did all the spadework for this agreement. This expression transfers the heavy spading required to prepare for planting to other kinds of preparation. [c. 1900]
spade
spade see
call a spade a spade;
do the spadework;
in spades.