Smarty-pants

Etymologist has left a new comment on your post "The Meaning Of A Word":

"I could be wrong"

You are ... and not for the first time. In this context, it's a slang expression - an early 20th-century Americanism derived from the word 'shellac' (a type of wood finish)

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And you could be right.

 Except that. Shellac is a hard bright clear polished wood finish .derived from a particular species of beetle.It is also an ingredient in French Polish.

Now, I don't know why a defeat in an election might be compared to  a hard bright clear polished  wood finish.

But I can certainly see why a  defeat  at the polls could  be described as a thorough drubbing  at the hands of an adversary with an Irish knobbly blackthorn walking stick also used as a cudgel  and known in verse and song as a shillalegh.

With me  shillalegh under me arm
And a twinkle in me eye
I'll be off to Tipperary in the morning.

With me shillalegh under me arm
And a toora-loo-la-ri
I'll be welcome in the home that  I was born in.

And  A Happy Easter to you too , Mr. Smarty-pants entymologist.

What are the chances of an early 20th century "Americanism" being  original?