See Also: smart(2)(dictionary)
smart(1)(dictionary)
smart(dictionary)
smart(medicine)
NEW SMART(finance)
Smart Wings(tourism)
smart bomb(encyclopedia)
smart 1, adjective(dictionary)
smart 2, verb(dictionary)
smart alec(dictionary)

smart(1) (iou)



smart adjective & adverb. [sm¨»:t] LOE.
[Rel. to SMART verb: not repr. in the cognate langs. Cf. SMART noun.]
A. adjective.
I.
Of a weapon, blow, etc.: causing sharp pain. (Foll. by on.) obsolete exc. as merging into sense 4 below. LOE.
Joseph Hall Thy hand hath been smart and heavy upon me.
Of pain, sorrow, etc.: sharp, keen, severe. ME-L17.
Of words etc.: severe, critical. Now rare. ME.
Swift A smart word or two upon my littleness.
Vigorous, forceful; (of pace) briskly maintained. ME.
G. Meredith The..twang of a musical instrument that has had a smart blow. G. Orwell The van moved..at a smart trot.
Sharply outlined. rare. M18.
Considerable in amount, extent, etc. Chiefly dial. & N. Amer. L18.
Times Leading Equities..had firmed up to score smart gains.
II.
Pert, forward, impudent. Now chiefly N. Amer., esp. in be smart, get smart. ME.
J. Wainwright Don't get smart with me.
Of a person: quick, active; prompt. ME.
F. Marryat Heave ahead, my lads, and be smart.
b. Healthy, well. Now dial. & US. L18.
Clever, adept; esp. clever in looking after one's interests, astute. Now chiefly N. Amer. E17.
K. Tennant How smart he was dishing everybody.
b. Of a device: capable of independent and seemingly intelligent action; spec. (of a powered missile, bomb, etc.) guided to a target by an optical system. L20.
R. MacNeil We turn increasingly to computers and smart typewriters.
a. Alert and brisk. E17.
W. Cowper He..sighs for the smart comrades he has left. C. Kingsley To a tight smart Viking's son.
b. Well-groomed, appearing neat and stylish. Also, bright and fresh in appearance, in good repair. E18.
D. G. Mitchell Bound in smart red leather.
Clever in talk or argument; quick-witted; (of a remark) pointed, witty. M17.
S. Johnson He mistakes the questions, that he may return a smart answer.
Fashionable, sophisticated; esp. of or belonging to fashionable society. Freq. in smart set below. E18.
J. Austen I..preferred the church..but that was not smart enough. Jilly Cooper Sotheby's or..smart art galleries.
Phrases: as smart as paint: see PAINT noun.
b. adverb. = smartly. ME.
Special collocations & comb.: smartcard (orig. US) a plastic card with a built-in microprocessor; esp. a credit or other bank card providing instant transfer of funds, etc. smart money US money invested or bet by people with expert or inside knowledge; transf. knowledgeable people collectively. smart-mouth verb trans. (US colloq.) give a cheeky retort to. smart quotes Computing quotation marks which, although all keyed the same, are automatically interpreted and set as opening or closing marks (inverted or raised commas) rather than vertical lines. smart set fashionable people considered as a group.
smarten verb trans. & intrans. make or become smart, spruce, lively, etc. (usu. foll. by up) E19.
smartish adjective & adverb (a) adjective somewhat smart; pretty considerable in amount, degree, etc; (b) adverb somewhat smartly: M18.
smartly adverb ME.
smartness noun ME.