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Social sciences → Etymology → Phrase origins → Phrase Origins T - Z → Phrases, W
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  • singwell-is off researching a lot
    Both the "smart" that we use for "clever" and the expression "that smarts" have the same origin in the Anglo saxon word, smeaort, -verb smeortan, which are probably from the same root as smitan- to smite, to strike. (the occupation and name Smith comes from the latter) So, what you have is an expression that means "that strikes me/hurts me" (and being smart/clever is being striking in character)
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