English Explanatory Dictionary

whip-smart

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Very intelligent.

Pronunciation

/ˈʍɪpˌsmɑːt/ /ˈwɪpˌsmɑːt/ /ˈwɪpˌsmɑɹt/ en-us-whip-smart.flac en-au-whip-smart.ogg

Word forms

whip-smart more whip-smart most whip-smart whipsmart

Etymology

Inversion of earlier smart as a whip (compare rock solid, from solid as a rock; snow-white, from white as snow; etc.). Possibly an allusion to how quickly the tip of a whip moves when the whip is cracked.

Synonyms

smart as a whip sharp as a tack

Antonyms

addlebrained addlepated airheaded bee-brained beef-witted beefheaded beetle-headed birdbrained blockheaded Boeotian boneheaded boofheaded braindead brainless bubbleheaded buffle-headed bullet-headed cerebrally challenged childish chowderheaded chuckleheaded crackbrained cretinous daft dense dented dim-bulb dim-headed dim-witted dim doltish dopey dozy drowsy dull-headed dull-minded dull-witted dull dumber than a box of rocks dumb dunderheaded empty-headed fatheaded feeble-minded flea-brained foolish fuzzy-headed fuzzy-minded goofy half-brained half-witted hammer-headed idiotic ignorant imbecilic inane insipid intellectually challenged knuckleheaded lamebrained
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