jay-walker
Definition
Noun: A "jay-walker" refers to a pedestrian who crosses a street in a reckless or illegal manner, often disregarding traffic signals, designated crosswalks, or safety rules.
Usage Examples
- (A pedestrian who crosses illegally.)
- (Pedestrians who violate traffic laws.)
Advanced Usage
- "to be a jay-walker": to habitually cross streets without following traffic rules.
- He is known as a jay-walker in the neighborhood because he always dashes across busy roads. (He regularly ignores traffic regulations.)
Variants and Related Words
- Jay-walking (noun): the act of crossing a street illegally or unsafely.
- Jay-walking is a common cause of pedestrian accidents in urban areas. (The act of reckless crossing.)
- Jay-walk (verb): to cross a street in a jay-walking manner.
- She was caught jay-walking on the main avenue. (She crossed illegally.)
Synonyms
- Reckless pedestrian: a person who walks without caution in traffic.
- The reckless pedestrian darted between cars. (Similar to a jay-walker.)
- Traffic violator: a person who breaks road rules, including pedestrians.
- The traffic violator ignored the crosswalk sign. (General term for rule-breakers.)
Related Idioms
- "Jay-walker's gamble": a risky crossing made without regard for safety.
- Crossing that highway is a jay-walker's gamble. (A dangerous, illegal crossing.)
Phrasal Verbs
- Jay-walk across: to cross a street illegally.
- He jay-walked across the busy intersection to save time. (Crossed without using the crosswalk.)