lay one's cards on the table

Idioms

Also, put one's cards on the table. Be open and honest, reveal one's position or intentions, as in John laid his cards on the table and told her how much they could afford. This expression alludes to showing the hand one holds. [c. 1900] Also see show one's hand.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023