right smart
A good bit; quite a lot.
Also called a good bit, quite a lot.
Updated September 24, 2026
right smart pronunciation
/RITE smart/
Meaning
Means a considerable amount without naming a number. A right smart of land is a lot of acres. A right smart piece is a ways down the road. Mountain talk treats it like a fuzzy measuring cup: more than a little, less than you'd write on a deed. Can also mean pretty capable ("a right smart hand"), but the quantity sense is the everyday one.
How folks use it
- “He owns a right smart of land in that county.”
- “It's a right smart piece from here to the store.”
Origin and etymology
DARE marks the "many/much" sense as South and South Midland. Appalachian English collections show Civil War letters and mountain speech using a right smart of for sickness, land, time, and distance. Smart here means considerable, not brainy. The phrase was already common in American print by the early 1800s.
Frequently asked questions
Does right smart mean intelligent?
Not usually. In this phrase it means a good amount. Somebody can still be called a right smart hand for being capable, but "a right smart of" is about quantity.