spade [OE] A spade for digging is related to Greek spathē ‘blade or paddle’ and has been in the language since Anglo-Saxon times, while the spade that appears on a playing card dates from the 16th century. The latter is based on Italian spada ‘a broad-bladed sword’. To call a spade a spade, ‘to speak plainly, without avoiding unpleasant or embarrassing issues’, dates from the mid 16th century. A tongue-in-cheek variation, dating from the early 20th century, is call a spade a shovel. In spades [E20th] means ‘to a very high degree’, or ‘as much as or more than could be desired’, and comes from the card game bridge, in which spades are the highest-ranking suit.