RUBBERNECK

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does rubberneck mean? 

• RUBBERNECK (noun)
  The noun RUBBERNECK has 2 senses:

1. a tourist who is visiting sights of interest

2. a person who stares inquisitively

  Familiarity information: RUBBERNECK used as a noun is rare.

• RUBBERNECK (verb)
  The verb RUBBERNECK has 1 sense:

1. strain to watch; stare curiously

  Familiarity information: RUBBERNECK used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• RUBBERNECK (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A tourist who is visiting sights of interest

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

excursionist; rubberneck; sightseer; tripper

Hypernyms ("rubberneck" is a kind of...):

holidaymaker; tourer; tourist (someone who travels for pleasure)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A person who stares inquisitively

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

rubberneck; rubbernecker

Hypernyms ("rubberneck" is a kind of...):

looker; spectator; viewer; watcher; witness (a close observer; someone who looks at something (such as an exhibition of some kind))

Derivation:

rubberneck (strain to watch; stare curiously)

• RUBBERNECK (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they rubberneck    ... he / she / it rubbernecks   
Past simple: rubbernecked   
Past participle: rubbernecked   
-ing form: rubbernecking   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Strain to watch; stare curiously

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Context example:

The cars slowed down and the drivers rubbernecked after the accident

Hypernyms (to "rubberneck" is one way to...):

watch (look attentively)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

rubber-necking (going about to look at places of interest)

rubberneck (a person who stares inquisitively)