clever dick

clever dick
   A term frequently used in the slanging matches that take place between British school-children. The speaker is expressing contempt to someone who is trying to display superior knowledge. The second element of the expression is clearly ‘Dick’, diminutive of Richard, but is no longer associated with that name. Girls are just as likely to use ‘clever dick’ to one another as boys are. Eric Partridge, in his Dictionary of Historical Slang, dates it from the 1880s and links it with London. A typical example of British usage, by an adult rather than a child, occurs in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, by Alan Sillitoe: ‘“I’m looking for a friend of mine,” she said. “Maybe he’s in the Trip,” he suggested. “It’s a she, cleverdick,” came the retort.’
   For various American expressions comparable to ‘clever dick’ see also smarty.

A dictionary of epithets and terms of address . . 2015.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • clever dick — clever clogs UK / US or clever dick UK / US noun [countable] Word forms clever clogs : singular clever clogs plural clever clogs British informal someone who is annoying because they are always right or because they think they are more… …   English dictionary

  • clever Dick — noun an intellectual who is ostentatiously and irritatingly knowledgeable • Syn: ↑clever clogs • Regions: ↑United Kingdom, ↑UK, ↑U.K., ↑Britain, ↑United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • clever dick — n. clever clogs, one who is clever and knowledgable in an ostentatious manner …   English contemporary dictionary

  • clever Dick — (also clever clogs) noun Brit. informal a person who is irritatingly and ostentatiously knowledgeable or intelligent …   English new terms dictionary

  • clever dick — noun A person who annoyingly tries too hard to impress with their cleverness. Syn: smart aleck …   Wiktionary

  • Clever dick — conceited, smug person, who displays their prowess at the expense of others …   Dictionary of Australian slang

  • clever dick — Australian Slang conceited, smug person, who displays their prowess at the expense of others …   English dialects glossary

  • clever dick — /ˈklɛvə dɪk/ (say klevuh dik) noun Colloquial a conceited, smug person, who displays prowess at the expense of others …  

  • clever Dick —  Smart person, rather ostentatious and self satisfied …   A concise dictionary of English slang

  • (a) clever dick — British & Australian someone who tries too hard to show that they are clever, in a way which annoys other people. He s such a clever dick, talking loudly on the phone in lots of different languages …   New idioms dictionary

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