从十八世纪中期开始人们就用这个习惯用语来比喻人的头脑灵活敏捷了。我们来看个例子。说话的人在评价同事Tony, 听来他对Tony佩服得五体投地，因为美国政府部门办事向来手续繁琐而且拖延日久，然而Tony却对其间的门路了若指掌。

　　例句：Everybody says Tony is smart as a whip. He knows exactly what he can expect from the bureaucracy and how to get what he wants without the usual delay or trouble.

　　他说：大家都说Tony聪明灵活，他对官僚机构的门路一目了然，而且能避免那儿通常有的拖延麻烦而达到自己的目的。

　　显然这里的习惯用语smart as a whip是用来比喻人的聪明灵活的。

　　再来看个例子。这是个高级主管在鼓励一位后起之秀申请办公室的某一个领导职位：

　　例句：You are not only smart as a whip; you're also good with people. Those are the things that make a good manager. The office needs someone who has both a brain and a heart.

　　他说：你不仅聪明灵活，而且善于与人相处，那些都是优秀的经理必备的品质。我们办公室需要既有头脑又心地善良的人才。

　　这里的smart as a whip, 意思也是聪明灵活。