smart alec

Also found in: Thesaurus, Acronyms, Idioms, Wikipedia.

smart alec

n, adj

a variant spelling of smart aleck

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

smart alec

smart arse (Informal)

noun

1. know-all (informal), wise guy (informal), clever-clogs (informal), clever Dick (informal), smarty pants (informal), smartarse (slang), smarty boots (informal) Don't be such a smart alec. All right then, if you're such a smart arse, have you got any better ideas?

adjective

1. cocky, arrogant, conceited, brash, swaggering, egotistical, cocksure, overconfident, swollen-headed, full of yourself a fortyish smart-alec TV reporter I can do without your smart-arse comments, thank you.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Mentioned in ?

References in periodicals archive ?

The truth is, you can be sure that there is a burning ambition which the Smart Alec is nurturing, which would be unachievable in the PDP.

A paradise for maggots

Fundamentally it all boils down to, is it better the devil you know with an Ashley or a brave new world without smart alecs? blackadderboy@yahoo.co.uk

A VIEW FROM THE GALLOWGATE

John let Smart Alec sit there on his desk in his study, and at one in the morning he heard it speak to him in his mind.

TALES FROM THE PAST

Talk about yourself, smart alec," the Speaker said and turned off the microphone for the parliamentarian.

Speaker Keldibekov turns off microphone for MP Terbishaliev over critical remarks about Parliament

But some smart Alec will tell you that it's made of paper so technically it does.

Stars

MICK McCarthy insists he's no Smart Alec by saying he has "no idea" how his Wolves team will fare this season.

Smart Mick calls for reality check

Twenty minutes' free parking is advertised, trying to explain this to the 'smart Alec' at the departure gate was a joke, regardless of the minimal 200 fils charge.

Airport hassle

A string of lights is the same as two bulbs smart Alec takes pleasure in telling me.

Alison's diary

He said: "I was a bit of a smart Alec at school - always coming out with funny comments.

A joke in the park for Hope House; JJaassoonn MMaannffoorrdd ttooppss ccoommeeddyy bbiillll

Dutton reportedly replied: "Well, I'm the head of planning, so, no." The smart alec comment has not impressed committee members, who already feel they are in danger of being railroaded by the council leadership into approving controversial applications such as the Edgbaston cricket ground expansion.

Andy Skinner is only helping

He said a lot of "smart alec lawyers" were now persuading union members in other parts of the country to sue their own unions if the unions didn't bring equal pay claims.