wise apple

plural wise apples · alternative wiseapple · alternative wise-apple

1. idiomaticA smart aleck.

   "The Americans did not win at Bunker Hill," this wise apple said.

   1980 February 25, Edwin Pope, “Yanks Pull It Off”, in St. Petersburg Independent, US, retrieved 22 Oct 2010, page C1

   2 more examples

   Private Wise Guy Bly is the type of guy who in civilian life was known as a "wise apple".

   1943 February 26, Staff Sgt. Dick Jones, “Air-Lines”, in The Independent, US, retrieved 22 Oct 2010, page 11

   As some wise apple said, comparisons are odious, and never more so than with a job not yet done.

   2001 November 25, “This Team Continues its March toward Being Best in Canes History”, in Miami Herald, page 1C

2. attributiveidiomaticusually hyphenatedHaving the manner of a smart aleck.

   She gave me a wise-apple smirk and asked, "And how are things at YOUR house?"

   1966 July 13, “Ann Landers Answers Your Problems”, in Times-News, US, retrieved 22 Oct 2010, page 6