smartling

English

Etymology 1

From smartle +‎ -ing.

Verb

smartling

  1. present participle of smartle

Etymology 2

From smart +‎ -ling.

Noun

smartling (plural smartlings)

  1. One who is smart, shrewd, or clever; a smart-aleck.
    • 1773, The Gentleman's magazine - Volume 3 - Page 262:
      And smartlings think it witty to blaspheme [...]
    • 1738, Stephen Duck, Poems on several occasions:
      And Smartlings think it Wit to play the Fool, [...]
    • 1902, James Hoyt, Seen & heard by Megargee - Volume 2, Part 2 - Page 565:
      The serious illness of Archbishop Corrigan of the New York Catholic diocese, has led a lot of newspaper smartlings to predict, with apparent mournfulness, that he might recover but for his "advanced age."
    • 1903, William Rheem Lighton, The ultimate moment:
      He determined that he would not hold up his honest admiration of his friend for the amusement of these smartlings.
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