back-sass n, v [Cf DAE sass back, 1884→]
Impertinent talk; to speak impertinently or discourteously; hence n back-sasser one who speaks rudely, a “smart aleck.”
1883 Continent 3.745 NJ, Now, a crab won’t take no back sass nor insults from a green Irishman. 1888 W. Shore 14.325 OR, When they gits old an’ ’flicted an’ miser’ble, all they git ’s airs an’ pride an’ back sass. 1947 Baer in Lowell Sun (MA) 10 July 15/3, In back-sassing a magistrate I have always discovered that discretion was the most economical portion of valor. 1950 Stuart Hie Hunters 213 eKY, “I didn’t mean to backsass . . ,” Arn apologized. 1968 Kellner Aunt Serena 94 sIN (as of c1910), [The problem in arithmetic] read: “Tom’s uncle gave him 10 quarts of oats. He said ‘Feed the white horse 2 quarts more than the red horse, and the black horse 2 quarts more than the white horse’, What do you think Tom should do?” . . “I think he should hit his uncle over the head with the feed bucket, myself.” Wilbur said this wasn’t arithmetic, it was back-sass. 1969 DARE (Qu. II36a, Somebody who talks back or gives rude answers: “Did you ever see such a _____?”) Inf IN79, Back-sasser. 2011 Bucks Co. Courier Times (Levittown PA) 3 Nov sec D 6/3, Of course, afterward, I felt awful, like I just back-sassed a dad with his kids in tow.