Curious

Curious - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

CURIOUS, a. [L., care. See Cure.]

1. Strongly desirous to see what is novel, or to discover what is unknown; solicitous to see or to know; inquisitive.

Be not curious in unnecessary matters, nor to pry into the concerns of your neighbors.

2. Habitually inquisitive; addicted to research or enquiry; as a man of a curious turn of mind; sometimes followed by after, and sometimes by of.

Curious after things elegant and beautiful; curious of antiquities.

3. Accurate; careful not to mistake; solicitous to be correct.

Men were not curious what syllables or particles they used.

4. Careful; nice; solicitous in selection; difficult to please.

A temperate man is not curious of delicacies.

5. Nice; exact; subtile; made with care.

Both these senses embrace their objects--with a more curious discrimination.

6. Artful; nicely diligent.

Each ornament about her seemly lies, by curious chance, or careless art, composed.

7. Wrought with care and art; elegant; neat; finished; as a curious girdle; curious work Exo 28 and 30.

8. Requiring care and nicety; as curious arts. Acts 19.

9. Rigid; severe; particular. [Little used.]

10. Rare; singular; a a curious fact.

ku'-ri-us (machashebheth; periergos): The above Hebrew word, meaning "thought," "device," "design," is translated "curious," Ex 35:32 the King James Version "curious works"; the English Revised Version "cunning"; the American Standard Revised Version "skilful"; cheshebh ("device," "devised work"), translated the King James Version "curious girdle," is translated by the English Revised Version "cunningly woven band," the American Standard Revised Version "skilfully" (Ex 28:8,27,28; 29:5; 39:5,20,21; Le 8:7). In Ps 139:15 raqam, "embroidered," "variegated" is used figuratively of a child in the womb, translated "curiously wrought"; "the body or the fetus is described as woven together of so many different-colored threads, like a cunning and beautiful network or tapestry" (Perowne in the place cited.). See also CURDLE. Periergos, "working round about," is used of the "curious arts" of some in Ephesus who brought their books to be burned (Ac 19:19 the American Standard Revised Version "magical").

See ASTROLOGY 14.

W. L. Walker