second-guesser colloq. (orig. and chiefly U.S.).
(ˌsɛkəndˈgɛsə(r))
Also as two words.
[f. second a. + guesser, poss. in slang sense ‘umpire (in baseball)’, the orig. meaning being ‘one who acts as if he is a second umpire’: cf. also prec.]
a. In Baseball, a spectator who criticizes the playing of a team or the decisions of the umpire, usu. with the benefit of hindsight; hence gen., one who criticizes (the actions or decisions of) another person after the event. b. One who predicts the result of a horse-race. rare.
| 1937 Sporting News Record Bk. 65 [Guesser, an umpire.] Ibid. 66 Secondguesser, one who is continually criticizing moves of players and manager. 1939 New Yorker 13 May 80/2 He may not be quite the wonder horse the flushed and eager second-guessers insist he is. 1941 B. Schulberg What makes Sammy Run? xi. 192 After Deadline the second-guessers were saying I could only make mellers [sc. melodramas]. 1942 Berrey & Van den Bark Amer. Thes. Slang §637/3 Second guesser, a ‘fan’ who criticizes the umpire. 1950 R. Chandler Let. 9 Oct. (1966) 80, I suppose these primping second-guessers who call themselves critics think he shouldn't have written the book at all. 1953 Berrey & Van den Bark Amer. Thes. Slang (1954) §671/5 Second guesser, a fan ready with advice on how the game should be played—after it is over. Ibid. §730/7 Second guesser, the pest who always knew what horse would win—after it was won. 1972 R. K. Smith Ransom iv. 154 You're a professional second guesser, Stuart. Why didn't you speak up when we were discussing the question? 1978 Times 18 Apr. 16/5 President Johnson recognized the value of opposition and even appointed George Ball as his in-house second-guesser. |