smart
♦ smart /sm'ɑːrt/ (smarter smartest smarts smarting smarted)
1 [ADJ]
Smart people and things are pleasantly neat and clean in appearance. (mainly BRIT)
He was smart and well groomed but not good looking...
I was dressed in a smart navy blue suit.
...smart new offices.
● smartly [ADV] ADV with v
He dressed very smartly which was important in those days.
...a smartly-painted door.
● smartness [N-UNCOUNT]
The jumper strikes the perfect balance between comfort and smartness.
2 [ADJ]
You can describe someone who is clever as smart.
He thinks he's smarter than Sarah is...
Buying expensive furniture is not necessarily the smartest move to make.
see also smartly, street smart
3 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
A smart place or event is connected with wealthy and fashionable people.
...smart London dinner parties.
...a smart residential district.
4 [ADJ] ADJ n
Smart bombs and weapons are guided by computers and lasers so that they hit their targets accurately.
5 [VERB] V
If a part of your body or a wound smarts, you feel a sharp stinging pain in it.
My eyes smarted from the smoke.
= sting
6 [VERB] usu cont, V from n
If you are smarting from something such as criticism or failure, you feel upset about it. (JOURNALISM)
The Americans were still smarting from their defeat in the Vietnam War...
7
the smart money: see moneysmart alec (smart alecs)
also smart aleck
[N-COUNT] oft N n
If you describe someone as a smart alec, you dislike the fact that they think they are very clever and always have an answer for everything. (INFORMAL)
...a fortyish smart-alec TV reporter...smart arse (smart arses)
The spellings smartarse in British English and smartass or smart-ass in American English are also used.
[N-COUNT] oft N n
If you describe someone as a smart arse, you dislike the fact that they think they are very clever and like to show everyone this. (INFORMAL, RUDE)
...smartass comments.smart card (smart cards)
[N-COUNT]
A smart card is a plastic card which looks like a credit card and can store and process computer data.smart drug (smart drugs)
[N-COUNT] usu pl
Smart drugs are drugs which some people think can improve your memory and intelligence.smart phone (smart phones)
[N-COUNT]
A smart phone is a type of mobile phone that can perform many of the operations that a computer does, such as accessing the Internet.street smart
also street-smart
[ADJ]
Someone who is street smart knows how to deal with difficult or dangerous situations, especially in big cities. (mainly AM INFORMAL)
He is street smart and is not afraid of this neighborhood.
= streetwise
1 [ADJ]
Smart people and things are pleasantly neat and clean in appearance. (mainly BRIT)
He was smart and well groomed but not good looking...
I was dressed in a smart navy blue suit.
...smart new offices.
● smartly [ADV] ADV with v
He dressed very smartly which was important in those days.
...a smartly-painted door.
● smartness [N-UNCOUNT]
The jumper strikes the perfect balance between comfort and smartness.
2 [ADJ]
You can describe someone who is clever as smart.
He thinks he's smarter than Sarah is...
Buying expensive furniture is not necessarily the smartest move to make.
see also smartly, street smart
3 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
A smart place or event is connected with wealthy and fashionable people.
...smart London dinner parties.
...a smart residential district.
4 [ADJ] ADJ n
Smart bombs and weapons are guided by computers and lasers so that they hit their targets accurately.
5 [VERB] V
If a part of your body or a wound smarts, you feel a sharp stinging pain in it.
My eyes smarted from the smoke.
= sting
6 [VERB] usu cont, V from n
If you are smarting from something such as criticism or failure, you feel upset about it. (JOURNALISM)
The Americans were still smarting from their defeat in the Vietnam War...
7
the smart money: see moneysmart alec (smart alecs)
also smart aleck
[N-COUNT] oft N n
If you describe someone as a smart alec, you dislike the fact that they think they are very clever and always have an answer for everything. (INFORMAL)
...a fortyish smart-alec TV reporter...smart arse (smart arses)
The spellings smartarse in British English and smartass or smart-ass in American English are also used.
[N-COUNT] oft N n
If you describe someone as a smart arse, you dislike the fact that they think they are very clever and like to show everyone this. (INFORMAL, RUDE)
...smartass comments.smart card (smart cards)
[N-COUNT]
A smart card is a plastic card which looks like a credit card and can store and process computer data.smart drug (smart drugs)
[N-COUNT] usu pl
Smart drugs are drugs which some people think can improve your memory and intelligence.smart phone (smart phones)
[N-COUNT]
A smart phone is a type of mobile phone that can perform many of the operations that a computer does, such as accessing the Internet.street smart
also street-smart
[ADJ]
Someone who is street smart knows how to deal with difficult or dangerous situations, especially in big cities. (mainly AM INFORMAL)
He is street smart and is not afraid of this neighborhood.
= streetwise