jaywalking
Jaywalking (noun) means crossing a street illegally or carelessly, away from a crosswalk or against traffic signals. Example: “He got a ticket for jaywalking in front of a police car.”
How to use jaywalking
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishCrossing the road somewhere you're not supposed to.
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He got a ticket for _____ in front of a police car.
Etymology
Built from "jay," an old term for a foolish or naive person, plus "walking" — the idea being that only a fool would cross carelessly.