smart
[smahrt]
- to be a source of sharp, local, and usually superficial pain, as a wound.
- to be the cause of a sharp, stinging pain, as an irritating application, a blow, etc.
- to feel a sharp, stinging pain, as in a wound.
- to suffer keenly from wounded feelings: She smarted under their criticism.
- to feel shame or remorse or to suffer in punishment or in return for something.
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- to cause a sharp pain to or in.
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- quick or prompt in action, as persons.
- having or showing quick intelligence or ready mental capability: a smart student.
- shrewd or sharp, as a person in dealing with others or as in business dealings: a smart businessman.
- clever, witty, or readily effective, as a speaker, speech, rejoinder, etc.
- dashingly or impressively neat or trim in appearance, as persons, dress, etc.
- socially elegant; sophisticated or fashionable: the smart crowd.
- saucy; pert: smart remarks.
- sharply brisk, vigorous, or active: to walk with smart steps.
- sharply severe, as a blow, stroke, etc.
- sharp or keen: a smart pain.
- (of a machine, system, etc.) equipped with electronic control mechanisms and capable of automated and seemingly intelligent operation: smart copiers; smart weapons.
- having properties that can be changed in response to stimuli or environmental conditions; self-regulating: smart fabrics that respond to temperature or light.
- Computers. intelligent(def 4).
- Older Use. considerable; fairly large.
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- in a smart manner; smartly.
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- a sharp local pain, usually superficial, as from a wound, blow, or sting.
- keen mental suffering, as from wounded feelings, affliction, grievous loss, etc.
- smarts, Slang. intelligence; common sense: He never had the smarts to use his opportunities.
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Origin of smart
before 1050; (v.) Middle English smerten, Old English -smeortan (only in the compound fyrsmeortende painful like fire), cognate with Old High German smerzan (German schmerzen); (adj.) Middle English smerte, smart quick, prompt, sharp, orig., biting, smarting, late Old English smearte, akin to the v.; (adv. and noun) Middle English smerte, derivative of the adj.
Synonyms
See more synonyms for smart on Thesaurus.com1. pain, hurt, sting. 7. lively, nimble, agile, alert, active. 8. bright, sharp, expert, adroit. 9. cunning, adept. 11. spruce; pretentious, showy. 12. chic. 14. energetic. 16. stinging, poignant, penetrating.
Antonyms
8. stupid.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for smartest
Contemporary Examples
They named Howe the smartest player, best passer and playmaker and best puck carrier.
But even the smartest policing by the most dedicated cops can only do so much in the absence of effective gun laws.
The comedian and filmmaker has been the smartest and funniest person in the room since he was in high school (maybe even earlier).
The Stacks: The Inimitable Albert Brooks Caught at the Dawn of His Movie CareerPaul Slansky
April 13, 2014
I was sure that in New York there resided the smartest people in the world, and I suppose I was half-right about that.
Of course, you do not need to be the smartest of Alecs to know that I should be doing this with all my sources.
Historical Examples
You're a good girl and a smart girl—the smartest and best girl there is in this town.
Mary-'GustaJoseph C. Lincoln
He was the best, smartest and most liked person in his village.
FreeChildrenStories.com CollectionDaniel Errico
She was one of the smartest women and most successful entertainers in London.
The MissionaryGeorge Griffith
Lacy is the smartest fellow we have, and I think will be sure to find him.
The Bramleighs Of Bishop's FollyCharles James Lever
I got the smartest children that ever was and they owe it all to their mother, every bit.
In a Little TownRupert Hughes
smart
- astute, as in business; clever or bright
- quick, witty, and often impertinent in speecha smart talker
- fashionable; chica smart hotel
- well-kept; neat
- causing a sharp stinging pain
- vigorous or brisk
- dialect considerable or numerousa smart price
- (of systems) operating as if by human intelligence by using automatic computer control
- (of a projectile or bomb) containing a device that allows it to be guided to its target
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- to feel, cause, or be the source of a sharp stinging physical pain or keen mental distressa nettle sting smarts; he smarted under their abuse
- (often foll by for) to suffer a harsh penalty
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- a stinging pain or feeling
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- in a smart manner
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Word Origin
Old English smeortan; related to Old High German smerzan, Latin mordēre to bite, Greek smerdnos terrible
Smart
- Christopher. 1722–71, British poet, author of A Song to David (1763) and Jubilate Agno (written 1758–63, published 1939). He was confined (1756–63) for religious mania and died in a debtors' prison
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for smartest
smart
v.
Old English smeortan "be painful," from Proto-Germanic *smarta- (cf. Middle Dutch smerten, Dutch smarten, Old High German smerzan, German schmerzen "to pain," originally "to bite"), from PIE *smerd- "pain," an extension of the root *mer- (2) "to rub; to harm" (cf. Greek smerdnos "terrible, dreadful," Sanskrit mardayati "grinds, rubs, crushes," Latin mordere "to bite"). Related: Smarted; smarting.
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smart
adj.
late Old English smeart "painful, severe, stinging; causing a sharp pain," related to smeortan (see smart (v.)). Meaning "executed with force and vigor" is from c.1300. Meaning "quick, active, clever" is attested from c.1300, from the notion of "cutting" wit, words, etc., or else "keen in bargaining." Meaning "trim in attire" first attested 1718, "ascending from the kitchen to the drawing-room c.1880" [Weekley]. For sense evolution, cf. sharp (adj.).
In reference to devices, the sense of "behaving as though guided by intelligence" (e.g. smart bomb) first attested 1972. Smarts "good sense, intelligence," is first recorded 1968. Smart cookie is from 1948.
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smart
n.
"sharp pain," c.1200, from sharp (adj.). Cf. cognate Middle Dutch smerte, Dutch smart, Old High German smerzo, German Schmerz "pain."
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper