sidewalk superintendent

American  

noun

Informal.

1. a bystander who watches the building, demolition, repair, or other work being done at a construction site.

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Etymology

Origin of sidewalk superintendent

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

When you’re caring for a baby or toddler in a public place, you will inevitably encounter the kind of person I call a sidewalk superintendent.

From New York Times • Jan. 4, 2022

Result: the President of the United States was photographed in the friendly, homely pose of a typical sidewalk superintendent.

From Time Magazine Archive

NASA's verdict on the extraterrestrial crane would have delighted any orbiting sidewalk superintendent: the six-jointed 50-ft.-long arm was extended, bent and manipulated with barely a hitch.

From Time Magazine Archive