gawker
gawker — noun
1. someone who looks at people or events in a rude, foolish, or clumsy way, often a
someone who looks at people or events in a rude, foolish, or clumsy way, often at things that are none of their business, such as an accident or a public argument; the word can also describe a person who behaves in a stupid or awkward manner.
A crowd of gawkers gathered outside the building after the fire alarm went off.
plural form: a crowd of gawkers
Kwame called the man a gawker after he stood on the sidewalk staring into their kitchen window.
pejorative use: call someone a gawker
The elderly lady tripped over the curb and a gawker nearby simply laughed instead of helping her.
Some gawkers slowed down their cars to stare at the crashed truck, causing a traffic jam.
- rubbernecker
more specific — someone who turns their head to stare at an accident, especially while driving
- onlooker
neutral tone; does not imply foolishness or rudeness
- lout
overlaps with the clumsy/rude meaning of gawker, but not the staring aspect
- helper
someone who acts usefully instead of standing and staring
文法句型
a gawker / the gawkers
用法筆記
Often carries a negative tone, suggesting the person's staring is rude, pointless, or happens instead of offering help. Frequently used in plural (gawkers) for groups of onlookers at public incidents.
常見錯誤
gawker — verb
1. to look at someone or something with your mouth partly open and without thinking
to look at someone or something with your mouth partly open and without thinking, in a way that shows foolishness, surprise, or rudeness.
Elena gawked at the enormous cake in the shop window for almost a minute.
gawk + at + [concrete object]
The tourists stood on the bridge and gawked at the fireworks without saying a word.
Ines told her little brother to stop gawking and close his mouth.
At Taipei Main Station, Grace gawked at a woman in a brightly colored sari until her mother scolded her.
The children gawked when the magician pulled a rabbit out of his hat.
- gape
more specific — stare with the mouth open, often from shock
- stare
neutral tone; does not imply foolishness
- rubberneck
slang, usually about turning to stare at accidents while driving
文法句型
gawk + at + noun phrase
用法筆記
The verb is spelled gawk, not gawker. This is the base verb; gawker is the noun form for a person who gawks. Cannot be used transitively — you cannot 'gawk something'; you 'gawk at something'.