Rubberneck: meaning, definitions and examples
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rubberneck
[ ˈrʌbəˌnɛk ]
gawking, observing
To rubberneck means to turn one's head or body to stare at something, often in a curiosity-driven manner. It is frequently used to describe the action of slowing down or stopping to look at an accident or something unusual while driving. This behavior can cause traffic congestion and is often viewed negatively. People who rubberneck may be more focused on what is happening around them than on their own driving.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- The cars slowed down as drivers began to rubberneck at the roadside accident.
- She couldn't help but rubberneck at the parade as it passed by.
- Rubbernecking can be dangerous, especially on busy highways.
Translations
Translations of the word "rubberneck" in other languages:
🇵🇹 curioso
- invasor
- pessoa que observa
🇮🇳 देखने वाला
- जिज्ञासु
- चश्मदीद
🇩🇪 Gaffer
- Gaffer-Gänger
- Neugieriger
🇮🇩 pengintip
- penasaran
- orang yang memperhatikan
🇺🇦 поглядач
- цікавий
- людина, яка заглядає
🇵🇱 ciekawski
- wpatrujący się
- obserwator
🇯🇵 ゴシップ好き
- 見物人
- 好奇心旺盛な人
🇫🇷 spectateur
- curieux
- voyeur
🇪🇸 mirón
- curioso
- espectador
🇹🇷 meraklı
- gözlemci
- bakıcı
🇰🇷 구경꾼
- 호기심 많은 사람
- 관찰자
🇸🇦 فضولي
- متلصص
- شاهد
🇨🇿 zvědavý
- divák
- pozorovatel
🇸🇰 zvedavý
- pozorovateľ
- dívajúci sa
🇨🇳 看热闹的人
- 好奇的人
- 围观者
🇸🇮 radovednež
- opazovalec
- gledalec
🇮🇸 forvitinn
- áhorfandi
- sálar
🇰🇿 қызыққұмар
- қараушы
- көзбояушы
🇬🇪 დაინტერესებული
- მოიხედავ
- მნახველი
🇦🇿 maraqlı
- baxıcı
- gəzən
🇲🇽 mirón
- curioso
- espectador
Word origin
The term 'rubberneck' originates from the early 20th century, deriving its name from the act of bending one's neck back and forth like rubber to look more closely at something. The word has roots in American English, and it was first noted in use around the 1920s. The 'rubber' component refers to the flexible nature of rubber that allows for bending and stretching, while 'neck' simply refers to the part of the body that is moved in this action. Over time, the term has taken on a more specific connotation related to spectators, particularly those who stop to look at accidents or incidents, causing traffic delays. It embodies a sense of voyeurism in public situations where curiosity overrides caution.
Word Frequency Rank
At position #42,176, this word is among the less frequently used terms in English. While interesting to know, it's not crucial for most English learners unless needed for specific purposes.