Curiosity

Curiosity
Curiosity Cu`ri*os"i*ty (k[=u]`r[i^]*[o^]s"[i^]*t[y^]), n.; pl. {Curiosities} (-t[i^]z). [OE. curiouste, curiosite, OF. curioset['e], curiosit['e], F. curiosit['e], fr. L. curiositas, fr. curiosus. See {Curious}, and cf. {Curio}.] 1. The state or quality or being curious; nicety; accuracy; exactness; elaboration. [Obs.] --Bacon. [1913 Webster]

When thou wast in thy gilt and thy perfume, they mocked thee for too much curiosity. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

A screen accurately cut in tapiary work . . . with great curiosity. --Evelin. [1913 Webster]

2. Disposition to inquire, investigate, or seek after knowledge; a desire to gratify the mind with new information or objects of interest; inquisitiveness. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

3. That which is curious, or fitted to excite or reward attention. [1913 Webster]

We took a ramble together to see the curiosities of this great town. --Addison. [1913 Webster]

There hath been practiced also a curiosity, to set a tree upon the north side of a wall, and, at a little hieght, to draw it through the wall, etc. --Bacon. [1913 Webster] ||


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Curiosity — (Mars Science Laboratory) Заказчик NASA Производитель …   Википедия

  • curiosity — ► NOUN (pl. curiosities) 1) a strong desire to know or learn something. 2) a unusual or interesting object or fact. ● curiosity killed the cat Cf. ↑curiosity killed the cat …   English terms dictionary

  • curiosity — (n.) late 14c., careful attention to detail, also desire to know or learn (originally usually in a bad sense), from O.Fr. curiosete curiosity, avidity, choosiness (Mod.Fr. curiosité), from L. curiositatem (nom. curiositas) desire of knowledge,… …   Etymology dictionary

  • curiosity — [n1] intense desire to know, understand concern, eagerness, inquiring mind, inquiringness, inquisitiveness, interest, interestingness, intrusiveness, investigation, meddlesomeness, meddling, mental acquisitiveness, nosiness, officiousness, prying …   New thesaurus

  • curiosity — index interest (concern), phenomenon (unusual occurrence) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • curiosity — [kyoor΄ē äs′ə tē] n. pl. curiosities [ME curiousite < OFr curiosité < L curiositas < curiosus: see CURIOUS] 1. a desire to learn or know 2. a desire to learn about things that do not properly concern one; inquisitiveness 3. anything… …   English World dictionary

  • Curiosity — For other uses, see Curiosity (disambiguation). Curious redirects here. For other uses, see Curious (disambiguation). Curious children gather around photographer Toni Frissell, looking at her camera Curiosity (from Latin curiosus careful,… …   Wikipedia

  • curiosity — cu|ri|os|i|ty [ˌkjuəriˈɔsıti US ˌkjuriˈa:s ] n plural curiosities 1.) [singular, U] the desire to know about something ▪ I opened the packet just to satisfy my curiosity. ▪ The news aroused a lot of curiosity among local people. ▪ She decided to… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • curiosity — noun ADJECTIVE ▪ great, intense ▪ insatiable ▪ She has an insatiable curiosity about life. ▪ mild ▪ idle …   Collocations dictionary

  • curiosity */ — UK [ˌkjʊərɪˈɒsətɪ] / US [ˌkjʊrɪˈɑsətɪ] noun Word forms curiosity : singular curiosity plural curiosities 1) [singular/uncountable] a strong feeling of wanting to find out about something curiosity about: All children have a certain curiosity… …   English dictionary

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