rubberneck

rubberneck
1. noun
a) Someone who engages in rubbernecking, or turning and staring.

"A suitable washer B1 and rubberneck B2, both of well known description, are provided to form with clapper arm B3 a watertight joint..."

b) Someone or something with a flexible neck.

"Hi, rubberneck! he clutched at her pear-like breast jutting from her sweater — how long did you think youll duck me?"

2. verb
To watch by craning the neck (as though it were made of rubber), especially if the observer and observed are in motion relative to each other.

The driver was so busy rubbernecking, trying to get a good view of the accident, that he was almost part of another accident.


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  • rubberneck — (n.) 1897, person who is always listening to other people s conversation; person who gazes around him with undue curiosity, from RUBBER (Cf. rubber) + NECK (Cf. neck) (n.). Popularized with reference to sightseers in automobiles. Also as a verb… …   Etymology dictionary

  • rubberneck — [v] stare eagle eye*, eye, eyeball*, focus, gawk, gaze, glare, goggle*, lay eyes on*, look, ogle, peer, rivet; concept 623 …   New thesaurus

  • rubberneck — informal ► NOUN ▪ a person who turns their head to stare at something in a foolish manner. ► VERB ▪ stare in such a way. DERIVATIVES rubbernecker noun …   English terms dictionary

  • rubberneck — ☆ rubberneck [rub′ər nek΄ ] Informal n. a person who stretches his or her neck or turns the head to gaze about in curiosity, as a sightseer: also rubbernecker vi. to look at things or gaze about in this way …   English World dictionary

  • Rubberneck — This article is about the Toadies album. For the article about the cause of car accidents, see motor vehicle collision. Infobox Album | Name = Rubberneck Type = Album Artist = Toadies |225px|Album Cover Released = August 23, 1994 Recorded = 1993… …   Wikipedia

  • rubberneck — UK [ˈrʌbə(r)ˌnek] / US [ˈrʌbərˌnek] verb [intransitive] Word forms rubberneck : present tense I/you/we/they rubberneck he/she/it rubbernecks present participle rubbernecking past tense rubbernecked past participle rubbernecked informal to look at …   English dictionary

  • rubberneck — I. noun Date: circa 1896 1. an overly inquisitive person 2. tourist; especially one on a guided tour II. intransitive verb Date: 1896 1. to look about, stare, or listen with exaggerated curiosity < drivers passing the accident slowed down to …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • rubberneck — rub|ber|neck [ rʌbər,nek ] verb intransitive INFORMAL to look at something, especially a car accident, as you are passing it: Passing drivers slowed down to rubberneck at the accident …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • rubberneck — listen to a conversation on a party (co op) phone line    Grandma used to rubberneck so she could hear the local news …   English idioms

  • rubberneck — 1. n. one who stares at something or someone; a tourist. □ At noon the sidewalks are crowded with rubbernecks. □ See if that rubberneck over there has the correct time. 2. in. to stare (at something or someone). □ What are all those people… …   Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions

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