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more about inquisitive
inquisitive |
3 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Inquisitive \In*quis"i*tive\, a. [OE. inquisitif F. inquisitif.] 1. Disposed to ask questions, especially in matters which do not concern the inquirer. A wise man is not inquisitive about things impertinent. --Broome. 2. Given to examination, investigation, or research; searching; curious. 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 [We] curious are to hear, What happens new --Milton. This folio of four pages [a newspaper], happy work! Which not even critics criticise; that holds Inquisitive attention, while I read. --Cowper. Nor need we with a prying eye survey The distant skies, to find the Milky Way --Creech. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Inquisitive \In*quis"i*tive\, n. A person who is inquisitive; one curious in research. --Sir W. Temple. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: inquisitive adj 1: showing curiosity; "if someone saw a man climbing a light post they might get inquisitive"; "raised a speculative eyebrow" [syn: {speculative}, {questioning}, {wondering(a)}] 2: inquiring or appearing to inquire; "an inquiring look"; "the police are proverbially inquisitive"
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