don't get smart with me

Do you know the meaning of "smart alec" or "smart a**"?

It's similar to "sass." It's something a parent would say to a child - it's not really something an adult would say to a peer.

Hi,

Grammar Geek, thank you very much for your reply.

After looking up the word "sass", I learned it means 'to talk in a rude way to someone you should respect". So, "don't get smart with me" mean "don't talk to me in a rude way"? But why does 'sass' have anything to do with "smart alec"?

Thank you a lot.

A "smart alec" is someone who makes a sarcastic or sometimes funny comment (at least, he thinks they are!), in a way that makes fun of someone else or of a situation.

http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/Smart+Alec

When someone is rude or sarcastic to someone in authority or someone that should be treated with respect, it is often referred to as "acting smart" or "getting smart" -- in other words, acting as if you are smarter than the other person. Various expression like "smart alec," "smarty pants", "don't get smart with me," etc. reflect this.

Hi,

Thank you very much for your explanation, Grammar and khoff.

When A says to B this expression "Don't get smart with me" , because A thinks B is trying to appear more clever than A and that annoys A. Thus, A told B to stop doing this way. And is that why A says "Don't get smart with me" to B?

Thanks to your help

Yes, that's about it.

Thank you very much, Grammar Geek.

that's mean don't fool me with your vanity

That saying comes from slavemasters who use to tell thier slaves that. "Dont get smart wit me boy!
"