wiseacre
/ˈwʌɪzeɪkə
/noun
A person with an affectation of wisdom or knowledge, regarded with scorn or irritation by others; a know-all: the wiseacres forecast a collapse of the building...
- For years, successive generations of caddies lived up to their reputation as low-life wiseacres who always knew better than the guy who was paying them and were not afraid to say so.
- While being no particular fan of cops myself, I sympathise with them when they have to deal with wiseacres like you and your cohorts.
- Either way, the name stuck - providing great fodder for annoying wiseacres all over the state.
Origin
Late 16th century: from Middle Dutch wijsseggher 'soothsayer', probably from the Germanic base of wit2. The assimilation to acre remains unexplained.