Rubberneck

[Bob Haas]

Which goes to show that one not be in an auto to rubberneck.  I've always
taken it to mean lawful, if undesired, looking on by passersby or
tourist-types or simple, everyday variety loafers.  I suppose we've come to
associate rubbernecking with cars because folks so seldom leave theirs
anymore.

> From: Fred Shapiro <fred.shapiro at YALE.EDU>
> Reply-To: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2000 14:39:47 -0400
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Re: Rubberneck
>
> _Rubberneck_, often considered to be one of the greatest slang coinages,
> is in the OED.  The earliest citation is from George Ade in 1896.
> _Rubbernecking_ is recorded from 1927, _rubbernecker_ from 1934.
>
> Fred