noun
- Plural of alec; a herring or similar fish, especially when salted or pickled.
- Plural of alec; a smart or clever person (informal, dated).
Usage: archaic; chiefly British
Usage: informal; dated; chiefly British
Examples
- The fishmonger sold barrels of salted alecs at the market.
- In old recipes, alecs were a common preserved food.
- He was one of those alecs who always had a clever remark ready.
- The alecs in the barrel had been cured for months.