Forum_mail Posted 19 years ago
Vocabulary
different meaning of 'smart'
Hello there,
How do I know whether the word 'smart' means 'intelligent' or 'clever, crafty, cunning' in the following sentence?
'He's a really smart guy'
best wishes
ps. and by the way - whay's a filing room, and law offices?
How do I know whether the word 'smart' means 'intelligent' or 'clever, crafty, cunning' in the following sentence?
'He's a really smart guy'
best wishes
ps. and by the way - whay's a filing room, and law offices?
Top answer
You don't, without examining the context. However, it usually means 'intelligent'. A filing room is a room full of file cabinets, where all the files are kept.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
0
You don't, without examining the context. However, it usually means 'intelligent'.
A filing room is a room full of file cabinets, where all the files are kept. A law office is the place of business of a lawyer.
A filing room is a room full of file cabinets, where all the files are kept. A law office is the place of business of a lawyer.
00
so in some contexts 'smart' can have this negative meaning, like 'crafty' ?
00
A crafty person can be (and usually is) smart but smart generally carries only a positive conotation in and of itself. Using context, however, it may be negative.
The bank robber was smart enough to outwit the police. In this instance, smart does mean crafty.
The bank robber was smart enough to outwit the police. In this instance, smart does mean crafty.
0