smart

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“
English smart is not connected with either of the above but perhaps with Latin mordeo ` to bite. '

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Definitions (64)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (19)

  1. adjective Characterized by sharp quick thought; bright. See Synonyms at intelligent.
  2. adjective Amusingly clever; witty: a smart quip; a lively, smart conversation.
  3. adjective Impertinent; insolent: That's enough of your smart talk.
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Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (32)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (4)

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Examples

  • And so, after seven years of unnoticeable burning upon the thick skin of the English Public, the case of Jenkins accidentally burns through, and sets England bellowing; such a smart is there of it, -- not to be soothed by Official wet-cloths; but getting worse and worse, for the nineteen months ensuing. —  History of Friedrich II of Prussia
  • English smart is not connected with either of the above but perhaps with Latin mordeo ` to bite. ' —  VERBATIM: The Language Quarterly Vol III No 1
  • (5) 17Automobile in smart reverse among other vehicles. —  VERBATIM: The Language Quarterly Vol IX No 3
  • One advanced into the light from the window. —  Flinx In Flux
  • 'Yes, that's what we call a smart answer.' —  Hide And Seek
 

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Smart has been looked up 635 times, favorited 0 times, listed 24 times, and commented on once.

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Related

Roget's II Roget's II: The New Thesaurus

Allen's Allen's Synonyms and Antonyms

Used in the same context Used in the Same Context

clever ·  nice ·  damn ·  neat ·  quick
Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (5)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English, stinging, keen, alert, from Old English smeart, causing pain.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (4)

  1. from Middle English smerten, smeorten (preterit smeart, also weak, smerted), from Anglo-Saxon *smeortan (Somner) (preterit *smeart) = Middle Dutch smerten, D. smarten = Middle Low German smerten = Old High German smerzan (preterit smarz), Middle High German smerzen, German schmerzen = Swedish smärta = Danish smerte, smart; = Latin mordere (√ mord, orig, *smord?), bite, pain, sting, = Sanskrit √ mard (orig. *smard), rub, grind, crush; cf. Russian smertŭ, death, Greek σμερδνός, terrible.
  2. from Middle English smert, smerte, smierte = Middle Dutch smerte, Dutch smart = Middle Low German smerte, Low German smart = Old High German smerzo, smerza, Middle High German smerz, German schmerz = Swedish smärta = Danish smerte, pain; from the verb. In def. 4 from the adjective
  3. from Middle English smart, smarte, smerte, smearte, smærte, smart; from the verb.
  4. from Middle English smerte; from smart, a.
 

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/smɑrt/
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