smartling

plural smartlings

1. One who is smart, shrewd, or clever; a smart-aleck.

   And smartlings think it witty to blaspheme [...]

   1773, The Gentleman's magazine, volume 3, page 262

   3 more examples

   And Smartlings think it Wit to play the Fool, [...]

   1738, Stephen Duck, Poems on several occasions

   The serious illness of Archbishop Corrigan of the New York Catholic diocese, has led a lot of newspaper smartlings to predict, with apparent mournfulness, that he might recover but for his "advanced age."

   1902, James Hoyt, Seen & heard by Megargee - Volume 2, Part 2 - Page 565

   He determined that he would not hold up his honest admiration of his friend for the amusement of these smartlings.

   1903, William Rheem Lighton, The ultimate moment

1. participlepresentpresent participle of smartle