A smart aleck is a self-righteous and annoying person who is too confident. The term originated from Aleck Hoag, a New York pimp who developed an elaborate scheme to steal from customers. The term is not complementary and can be used pejoratively or as a warning.
A smart aleck, sometimes spelled smart alec, is someone who is confident to the point of impudence. The term is usually used to describe someone who is annoying or self-righteous, and sometimes implies that someone is too smart for their own good. Another common term for the same type of person is “wise guy,” with both terms adding a slightly ironic inflection to generally good things like being smart and wise.
Many people wonder if there was an original Aleck for whom the phrase is named, and the answer is yes. As is rarely the case with slang terms, the history of “smart aleck” is actually relatively easy to trace, thanks to the efforts of multiple historians who were also curious about the original aleck. Their search for the first intelligent Aleck was aided by well-kept records, which traced the first Aleck back to the 1800s.
The first Aleck was Aleck Hoag, a New York confidant who appears to have been operating in the 1840s. Aleck was a pimp and used his women’s activities to raise additional income through a scheme called “group play.” Aleck waited until the customer was asleep or otherwise occupied, then sneaked into the room to steal the customer’s wallet and valuables. Customers noticed this pattern and started blocking the doors with chairs and tables. In response, Hoag built dummy wall panels that slid aside so he could enter the room without going through the door.
This particular smart aleck qualifies as a wise guy for several reasons. He’s clearly evaded capture long enough to develop a pretty elaborate system to relieve people of their money and valuables. He also bragged openly about the panel scheme, demonstrating it for curious visitors. Furthermore, Hoag also attempted to avoid paying the police part of him, and “smart aleck” may have originated in the police. It didn’t take long for Hoag to become famous, and “smart aleck” was a common term in 1860s slang.
As a general rule, “smart aleck” is not a complementary term. An intelligent aleck tends to be bold and quite arrogant about it, and these traits tend to be frowned upon by many societies. The term can be used pejoratively, in hopes of encouraging someone to reform, or it can be used in reference to someone who is essentially incorrigible, as a warning to people who may have dealings with that person.
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