curiosity killed the cat
/ˌkjʊɹ.iˈɑ.sə.ti kɪld ðə ˈkæt/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.89 in modern English
36
Scrabble Score
21
Letters
5
Syllables
14
Unique Chars
Meaning
Example Sentences
- "They say curiosity killed a cat once, so I will take warning and let things remain as they are."
- "When one interviewer asks why she [Anita O’Day] started using it [heroin], she replies facetiously, “Curiosity killed the cat,” then flashes a toothy smile."
- "“Imagine the setup – a person is told to sit in a chair with wires attached to their skin, and a button that will deliver a harmless but uncomfortable shock, and they are told to just sit there and entertain themselves with their thoughts,” she [Jessica Andrews-Hanna] said. “As they sit there, strapped to this machine, their mind starts to wander, and it naturally goes to that shock – was it really that bad?[”] “What are the experimenters really interested in? Perhaps this is a case where curiosity killed the cat.”"
- "Curiosity killed the cat — and it got the best of these bears. Watch as a trio of mischievous baby black bears in Vernon Township, New Jersey, were chased off by a protective dog after one curious cub climbed a second-floor balcony."
Etymology
Compare earlier care killed the cat. Referring to the statement that it will kill anyone, even though they had, like the proverbial cat, nine lives.
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˌkjʊɹ.iˈɑ.sə.ti kɪld ðə ˈkæt/
- British English: /kjʊə.ɹiˈɒs.ɪ.ti kɪld ðə ˈkæt/