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Smarts vs Sass - What's the difference?

smarts | sass |

As verbs the difference between smarts and sass

is that smarts is (smart) while sass is (us) to talk, to talk back.

As nouns the difference between smarts and sass

is that smarts is (informal|chiefly|us) intelligence; smartness while sass is (us) sarcasm, backtalk, cheek.

smarts

English

Verb

(head)
  • (smart)

    • Noun

    (en-plural noun)
  • (informal, chiefly, US) intelligence; smartness
  • * 1981 , Philip K. Dick, Valis , ISBN 0-553-20594-3, p. 36
    • A lot can be said for the infinite mercies of God, but the smarts of a good pharmacist, when you get down to it, is worth more.
  • * 2007 , Fern Michaels, Free Fall , page 142
  • *:"Guess that was a stupid question. Either you're smart or you're not. I am not book smart but I have street smarts'. I think street ' smarts are important.

    • sass

    English

    Noun

    (-)
  • (US) sarcasm, backtalk, cheek.
  • *
    • “Say — if you give me much more of your sass I’ll take and bounce a rock off’n your head.”
  • *
    • “Looky here — mind how you talk to me; I’m a-standing about all I can stand now — so don’t gimme no sass .”

    Derived terms

    * sassy

    Verb

    (es)
  • (US) To talk, to talk back.
  • *
    • “The duke he begun to abuse him for an old fool, and the king begun to sass back, and the minute they was fairly at it I lit out and shook the reefs out of my hind legs, and spun down the river road like a deer, for I see our chance; and I made up my mind that it would be a long day before they ever see me and Jim again.”
  • *
    • “But, good land! what did he want to sass back for? You see, it couldn’t do him no good, and it was just nuts for them.”