Etymology Journal ยท W
What are you, a wise guy?
Meaning
- This is a confrontational question asked to someone who is being sarcastic or cheeky. It serves as a warning to stop acting smart.
Aggressive, warning
Used in a sentence
- You think that joke is funny? What are you, a wise guy?
- Stop talking back to me. What are you, a wise guy?
- I am not in the mood for sarcasm. What are you, a wise guy?
The backstory
This is heavily associated with mid-century urban American slang, particularly in New York and Chicago. It implies the speaker is tired of the other person's smart-aleck attitude.
Heard in
Nationwide
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