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Etymology Journal ยท W

Wise guy, eh?

Meaning

A skeptical or mocking retort to someone being a smart aleck. It is usually said with a forced tough-guy accent to call out someone being cheeky.

Sarcastic, confrontational

Used in a sentence

  • So you think you can hide the cookies? Wise guy, eh?
  • You want to tell me how to do my job? Wise guy, eh?
  • My brother tried to trick me with a fake spider and I just said wise guy, eh?

The backstory

This is heavily influenced by old radio and movie tropes, particularly Looney Tunes characters like Bugs Bunny. It invokes the stereotypical New York mobster vibe.

Heard in

Nationwide

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