smart aleck
- an obnoxiously conceited person.
- a wise guy.
Origin of smart aleck
Examples from the Web for smart aleck
Contemporary Examples of smart aleck
In the series' pilot, smart-aleck ex-lawyer Jeff Winger (Joel McHale) tells Abed that he has Asperger's syndrome.
Historical Examples of smart aleck
Before he got there he started a guessing contest in that smart-aleck burg.
The Modern RailroadEdward Hungerford
"The young squirt was always a Smart-Aleck and a blow-hard," he said.
Poor WhiteSherwood Anderson
Well, it happened that the end of last week a smart-Aleck of a fellow came in, an Andalusian.
Their Son; The NecklaceEduardo Zamacois
They gave him a month in the barracks to think over how smart-aleck hed been, and then Jimmie was out again.
Famous FlyersDavid Goodger (goodger@python.org)
smart aleck
- informal an irritatingly oversmart person
Word Origin for smart aleck
Word Origin and History for smart aleck
1865, of unknown origin, perhaps in reference to Aleck Hoag, notorious pimp, thief, and confidence man in New York City in early 1840s [Barnhart]. See smart (adj.). Related: Smart-alecky.
Idioms and Phrases with smart aleck
smart aleck
An impudent or obnoxiously self-assertive individual, a wise guy, as in New teachers often have a hard time coping with the smart alecks in their classes. This expression, dating from the mid-1800s, probably alluded to a person of this description who was named Alec or Alexander, but his identity has been lost.