wise-ass

or wise·ass

[ wahyz-as ]

/ ˈwaɪzˌæs /

Slang: Sometimes Vulgar.

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See synonyms for wise-ass on Thesaurus.com

adjective

Also wise-assed . insolent; impertinent; smart-ass.

noun

smart-ass.

QUIZ

QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!

Were you ready for a quiz on this topic? Well, here it is! See how well you can differentiate between the uses of "was" vs. "were" in this quiz.

Question 1 of 7

“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.

true

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Origin of wise-ass

First recorded in 1970–75

Words nearby wise-ass

Wisdom of Solomon, wisdom teeth, wisdom tooth, wise, wiseacre, wise-ass, wisecrack, wise guy, wisely, Wiseman, Wise Men

How to use wise-ass in a sentence

Ass-kicking, bad guy-killing Carter is just a future spinster.
Marvel’s ‘Agent Carter’ Stomps on the Patriarchy|Melissa Leon|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
This is the Mexico that U.S. college students would be wise to steer clear of on spring break.
Why Mexicans Are Enraged by Obama’s Big Tuesday Meeting|Ruben Navarrette Jr.|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
So just looking forward to taking our sweet ass time with this next one.
Deer Tick's John McCauley on Ten Years in Rock and Roll|James Joiner|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The revelation that, at age 42, Ben Affleck has one hell of an ass.
Year of the Butt: How the Booty Changed the World in 2014|Kevin Fallon|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST

I did a piece for Elle about the effort to remake her into an elegant presence fashion-wise.
Daphne Merkin on Lena Dunham, Book Criticism, and Self-Examination|Mindy Farabee|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The most High hath created medicines out of the earth, and a wise man will not abhor them.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
A wise man hateth not the commandments and justices, and he shall not be dashed in pieces as a ship in a storm.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
She is quite true, but not wise, and your left hand must not know what your right hand is doing.
Checkmate|Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
There are three things a wise man will not trust: the wind, the sunshine of an April day, and woman's plighted faith.
Pearls of Thought|Maturin M. Ballou
It's an idle question, I know; wise men and musty philosophers say that regrets are foolish.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair

British Dictionary definitions for wise-ass

wiseass

/ (ˈwaɪzæs) /

noun

informal

a person who thinks he or she is being witty or clever
(as modifier)some wiseass kid at the back of the class

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