phrase General Slang

right smart

RYT SMART · phrase · informal

A considerable amount or distance.

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Definitions

1

A good deal of something; "a right smart piece" means a fair distance.

“It's a right smart piece down that dirt road.”
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right smart In A Sentence

It's a right smart piece down that dirt road.

Origin & Usage

From older British English where "right" meant "very" and "smart" meant "considerable"; preserved as a fixed quantity phrase in Appalachia.

People Also Ask

What does right smart mean?

It means a considerable amount or distance, as in "a right smart of money" or "a right smart piece down the road."

Where does right smart come from?

It preserves older British senses where "right" meant "very" and "smart" meant "considerable," kept alive in Appalachian speech.

Does right smart have anything to do with intelligence?

No, in this phrase "smart" refers to quantity or extent, not cleverness.

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