Inquisitive

Inquisitive
Inquisitive In*quis"i*tive, a. [OE. inquisitif, F. inquisitif.] 1. Disposed to ask questions, especially in matters which do not concern the inquirer. [1913 Webster]

A wise man is not inquisitive about things impertinent. --Broome. [1913 Webster]

2. Given to examination, investigation, or research; searching; curious. [1913 Webster]

A young, inquisitive, and sprightly genius. --I. Watts.

Syn: Inquiring; prying; curious; meddling; intrusive.

Usage: {Inquisitive}, {Curious}, {Prying}. Curious denotes a feeling, and inquisitive a habit. We are curious when we desire to learn something new; we are inquisitive when we set ourselves to gain it by inquiry or research. Prying implies inquisitiveness, and is more commonly used in a bad sense, as indicating a desire to penetrate into the secrets of others. [1913 Webster]

[We] curious are to hear, What happens new. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

This folio of four pages [a newspaper], happy work! Which not even critics criticise; that holds Inquisitive attention, while I read. --Cowper. [1913 Webster]

Nor need we with a prying eye survey The distant skies, to find the Milky Way. --Creech. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Inquisitive — In*quis i*tive, n. A person who is inquisitive; one curious in research. Sir W. Temple. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • inquisitive — I adjective audiendi, cupidus, curiosus, curious, eager for knowledge, fond of investigation, given to research, inquiring, interested, interrogative, investigative, questioning, quizzical, scrutinizing, searching, seeking, speculative II index …   Law dictionary

  • inquisitive — late 14c., from O.Fr. inquisitif, from L.L. inquisitivus making inquiry, from L. inquisit , pp. stem of inquirere (see INQUIRE (Cf. inquire)). An housbonde shal nat been Inquisityf of goddes pryuetee nor of his wyf. [Chaucer, Miller s Prologue ]… …   Etymology dictionary

  • inquisitive — *curious, prying, snoopy, nosy Analogous words: impertinent, intrusive, meddlesome: interfering, meddling, intermeddling (see MEDDLE) Antonyms: incurious Contrasted words: indifferent, unconcerned, aloof, detached, uninterested, disinterested …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • inquisitive — [adj] curious big eyed*, analytical, challenging, forward, impertinent, inquiring, inquisitorial, interested, intrusive, investigative, meddlesome, meddling, nosy, peering, personal, poking, presumptuous, probing, prying, questioning,… …   New thesaurus

  • inquisitive — ► ADJECTIVE 1) eagerly seeking knowledge. 2) prying. DERIVATIVES inquisitively adverb inquisitiveness noun …   English terms dictionary

  • inquisitive — [in kwiz′ə tiv] adj. [ME enquesitif < OFr inquisitif < LL inquisitivus < L inquisitus, pp. of inquirere: see INQUIRE] 1. inclined to ask many questions or seek information; eager to learn 2. asking more questions than is necessary or… …   English World dictionary

  • inquisitive — adj. VERBS ▪ appear, be, seem ▪ become ADVERB ▪ highly, very ▪ a highly i …   Collocations dictionary

  • inquisitive — in|quis|i|tive [ınˈkwızıtıv] adj 1.) asking too many questions and trying to find out too many details about something or someone ▪ I d have asked more questions, but I didn t want to seem inquisitive. 2.) interested in a lot of different things… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • inquisitive — [[t]ɪnkwɪ̱zɪtɪv[/t]] ADJ GRADED An inquisitive person likes finding out about things, especially secret things. Barrow had an inquisitive nature... Bears are very inquisitive and must be kept mentally stimulated. Derived words: inquisitively ADV… …   English dictionary

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