Jaywalks

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To cross a street unlawfully or without regard for traffic signals
2. To move across a roadway at a place not designated for pedestrian crossing
3. Engaging in the act of crossing streets in violation of traffic laws designed for safety

Etymology: "Jaywalks" is the third-person singular present form of "jaywalk," so it is the verb that describes what a pedestrian does when crossing a street outside a designated crossing. The verb is a back-formation from "jaywalker," which means that speakers first had the noun and then derived the verb from it by stripping off the agent ending. The word combines "jay," a term for a stupid or silly person, with "walk." The "jay" element is the same bird-name root that gives English its colourful, chattering birds, but in this sense it was used for a foolish or careless individual. A "jaywalker" was therefore someone who walked carelessly, heedless of traffic, and the verb simply describes that conduct.

Synonyms: crosses, strays

Antonyms: obeys, complies