jaywalk

[jey-wawk]

verb (used without object)

to cross a street at a place other than a regular crossing or in a heedless manner, as diagonally or against a traffic light.

Origin of jaywalk

An Americanism dating back to 1915–20; jay¹ + walk

Related formsjay·walk·er, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for jaywalking

Contemporary Examples

So if you are stopped for jaywalking or driving with a broken headlight, the police can ask to see your papers.
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British Dictionary definitions for jaywalking

jaywalk

verb

(intr) to cross or walk in a street recklessly or illegally

Derived Formsjaywalker, nounjaywalking, noun

Word Origin

C20: from jay (sense 2)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for jaywalking

n.

by 1912, American English (said in original citation to be a Kansas City term), from jay, perhaps with notion of boldness and impudence. Related: Jaywalk; jaywalker.

jaywalk

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}jaywalk

Examples from the Web for jaywalking

Contemporary Examples

So if you are stopped for jaywalking or driving with a broken headlight, the police can ask to see your papers.

jaywalk

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for jaywalking

n.

Origin of jaywalk