rubbernecking

English

Noun

rubbernecking (uncountable)

1. The act of slowing down whilst driving a vehicle, in order to see the scene of an accident.
   • 2004, Robert G. Ferrell, Tangent: A Novel [1], ISBN 1589612760, page 131:

     "The resulting wreckage blocks the entire southbound side of the Interstate, while the inevitable rubbernecking slows traffic on the northbound side to little more than the speed of a brisk walk."

2. Generally, any act of observation in a manner considered unduly overt or otherwise unseemly.

   The children had never been in such a large museum and their rubbernecking was rather amusing.

Verb

rubbernecking

1. Present participle of rubberneck.
   • 2006, Jack Myers, Row House Blues [2], ISBN 0741434962, page 339:

     "Kids all up and down the Triboro corridors are staring, I can sense it. Why are they rubbernecking, what are they staring at?"

See also

• gapers' block