jayrun

English

Etymology

By analogy with jaywalk, with run. Attested since the 20th century.

Verb

jayrun (third-person singular simple present jayruns, present participle jayrunning, simple past jayran, past participle jayrun)

1. (US, Canada, transitive) To violate pedestrian traffic regulations by rapidly crossing a street away from a designated crossing; to run in the part of the street intended for vehicles.
   • 1955, Southern Reporter (second)‎^[1], West Publishing Company, page 769:

     Our appreciation of the manner in which the accident occurred was that plaintiff alighted from the bus on the uptown sidewalk of Canal Street, approximately sixty to one hundred feet removed from the corner of Baronne Street, walked around the front thereof and, probably because of the inclement weather, imprudently proceeded to rapidly “jaywalk” or “jayrun” through congested traffic intending to safely reach the neutral ground; […]

Derived terms

• jayrunner
• jayrunning