wise-ass

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wise-ass

One who is sarcastic or makes jokes in an attempt to seem witty, usually to others' annoyance; a smart aleck. Primarily heard in US. Joe is such a wise-ass that it's hard to know when he's being serious. Every class seems to have one disruptive wise-ass.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • a wise guy
  • wise guy
  • smart mouth
  • cool story, bro
  • let's not and say (that) we did
  • smart-mouth (someone)
  • come the acid
  • behind
  • You call this (something)?
  • Tell me another one!
References in periodicals archive
"I'm a professional wise-ass so it was great to be able to showcase that in the way I got to."
Fashion Team had lots of wise-ass suggestions for the best uniform.
So when anyone asks me, "What's the best load ...?" I always answer, "DamifIknow!" Then when they look at me like I'm being a wise-ass I tell them that is the honest truth.
Barry practices a craven politeness, except when overcome by the sudden need to smash; and since he's being played by Adam Sandler, a comic actor known for his wise-ass shleppiness, this side of the character comes before us pre-interpreted.
Woooo!" On one board, an earnest Rage fan gives a long definition and defense of democratic socialism, while another, not clearly trying to be a wise-ass, replies, "Sweden is run by social democrats--All it really is is super high taxes."
But some of the wise-ass commentary that the Monthly decries is merely the adolescent way reporters rebel against a political culture in which they are manipulated and spun to death.
She can still be a wise-ass and have no patience for nonsense, and still have her own personality."
JAMES MURPHY, WISE-ASS MASTERMIND behind dance-rock punk-funk LCD Soundsystem and DFA Records, makes cowbell-laced disco-infiltrated tracks that are making people move on dance floors around the world.
"The press has written that Bobby is a wise-ass, that he's a know-it-all, and all of that is true," Pegram told the Louisville Courier-Journal.
Like everyone else, I was dazzled by the Nader story and his singular courage, but, younger and somewhat wise-ass, I kept a skeptical distance from his vision.
However, when wise-ass childhood buddy and playing partner Worm (a mercurially sleazy Edward Norton) gets out of prison and immediately drags him off to the nearest easy mark in town, the juices start flowing again.
Three wise-ass New Yorkers getting in your face and talking tough - the Fun Lovin' Criminals are in the house.
Katz's paintings weren't as wise-ass or nihilistic, but it wasn't clear to me then what risks, if any, they were taking.
Then I tapped on the Twitter bird and the first thing I read was a Game of Thrones spoiler from a wise-ass wailing about what happened in the season 5 finale.
If not the big one: Matthew Perry's wise-ass ways are by this point something like a national treasure, and with "Go On" he's found perhaps his most comfortably amusing and talent-tailored post-"Friends" character.