Contents -AUTHOR INDEX -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Mawson, C.O.S., ed. (1870–1938). Roget’s International Thesaurus. 1922.

Class IV. Words Relating to the Intellectual Faculties
Division (I) Formation of Ideas
Section II. Precursory Conditions and Operations

455. [Desire of Knowledge.] Curiosity.

   NOUN:CURIOSITY, curiousness; interest, thirst for knowledge, mental acquisitiveness; newsmongery, inquiring mind; inquisitiveness.
  QUESTIONER, enfant terrible [F.], walking interrogation point [humorous], quid-nunc.
  BUSYBODY, newsmonger; Peeping Tom, Paul Pry, eavesdropper; gossip (news) [See News].
  SIGHT-SEER, rubberneck [slang, U. S.],
   VERB:BE CURIOUS &c. adj.; take an interest in, stare, gape; prick up the ears, see sights, lionize; rubber or rubber-neck [slang, U. S.].
  PRY, nose, search, ferret out, poke one’s nose into.
   ADJECTIVE:CURIOUS, inquisitive, burning with curiosity, overcurious, nosey [colloq.]; inquiring [See Inquiry]; prying; inquisitorial; agape (expectant) [See Expectation].
   QUOTATIONS:

1. What’s the matter? what next?
2. Little pitchers have big ears.
3. Curiosity is mere vanity. Most people want to know only in order to talk.—Pascal